I went to get a smile makeover, I needed whiter, longer teeth. My dentist suggested Lumineers. When they came back they were whiter, but not really longer. He said the lab assured them they made the Lumineers as long as they could. Looking at their brochures, I saw teeth lengthened much more than what I was hoping for. Is there no way to get what I was hoping for? I’m happy they’re whiter so at least I have that. I was just hoping for more given the amount they cost.
Pamela
Dear Pamela,
You are correct that teeth can be lengthened with porcelain veneers. After all, they advertise that for it and you have seen the before and after pictures yourself. What you are up against here is your dentist is in over his head. Doing smile makeovers isn’t taught in dental school. In order for a dentist to develop the skills necessary to do a beautiful smile makeover, they would have to invest in post-doctoral training. It’s not required though for them to do it. My guess is your dentist has very little of this training.
What should have happened is your dentist is the one who writes the instructions to the lab, not the other way around. What happening in your case is as if the pharmacy tech was telling the doctor what to prescribe you instead of the other way around.
I’m not surprised the lab is having trouble, though. The Lumineers lab is not considered by most advanced cosmetic dentist as producing good results. This brand is often marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place.
My advice to you is to get a second opinion by one of the dentists recommended by on the mynewsmile.com website. They have a “Find a Cosmetic Dentist” link on that site. The wonderful thing about this site is the dentist who runs it is a retired cosmetic dentist. He prescreens every dentist who wants to be listed for both their technical training as well as their artistry. They cannot just pay to be listed.
Let a true cosmetic dentist see what was done with your smile makeover. They can advise you on how to proceed and even help you to get a refund if it is warranted.
This blog is brought to you by La Jolla Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Stephen Doan. An AACD accredited cosmetic dentist.