I went to my dentist to talk about getting a smile makeover for my eight front teeth. He suggested composite veneers at about $2,800. That is a good price, especially when compared to the porcelain veneers I’ve looked into. What has me worried is my only other experience with composite repairs wasn’t that great. You see, I damaged a tooth in an accident and my dentist repaired it with a composite veneer. The tooth does not look attractive and I’ve only had it for about eight months and it is already beginning to stain. Are composite veneers always like that or did I just have rotten luck?
Andrew
Dear Andrew,
My suggestion is you go with the porcelain veneers. While both require advanced skills in cosmetic dentistry, composite has to be sculpted freehand, which makes it one of the most challenging procedures there is. It is not usually done for full smile makeovers but more for smaller repairs for chips or gaps in teeth.
A second reason to go with the porcelain is the longevity. At best, composite will last three maybe four years before it starts to pick up stains. That is only if your dentist uses the type of composite that can be polished to a high shine. It doesn’t sound like your dentist uses that type of composite. Combine that with the fact that you found his results disappointing tells me that he is not a skilled cosmetic dentist.
There are countless horror stories about smile makeovers where the patients felt like their smile looked better before they spent thousands of dollars. I don’t want you to end up as one of them. My suggestion is that you get the porcelain veneers, even if it means saving up for a while. I also think you should probably do it with a different dentist. Look for someone with proven cosmetic skills, such as an AACD accredited dentist.
If it is going to take you a while to save up, you can get your teeth whitened in the meantime. This is an inexpensive way to upgrade your smile and just about any dentist can do the procedure.
This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas.