Dr. Hall,
I had a porcelain veneer put on one of my front teeth two years ago. Over the past two years the veneer has darkened. It looks ugly and now it doesn’t match properly, and my regular dentist said it looks too opaque. If I get in touch with my cosmetic dentist, is there any chance it would be fixed for me? I can’t afford to have it ripped off and replaced on my own, but considering it cost over a grand it doesn’t seem right that it doesn’t match when I haven’t used a single whitening product since I got it on. Do I have any recourse after two years?
– Jenna from Arizona
Jenna,
I don’t think you have any recourse if your porcelain veneer has become darker over two years. Though a properly-done porcelain veneer would not turn dark. Properly glazed porcelain is excellent at resisting stains and wouldn’t turn dark after two years. But most dentists aren’t very sensitive to appearance issues, and so most dentists could easily say that your veneer is good enough.
There are two possible problems with your case. First, maybe you don’t really have a porcelain veneer. It could be made out of composite resin, and that’s why it is picking up stain and turning darker. Second, it’s possible that this person you’re referring to as “my cosmetic dentist” isn’t really what I would call a cosmetic dentist. From the long-term quality of the work you have had done, I am skeptical. Though it could be that there was some misunderstanding and the dentist explained that this wasn’t really a porcelain veneer but there was some communication breakdown. But that doesn’t seem likely.
My advice would be to save up your money and when you have one or two thousand to spend on getting this to look beautiful that you go to one of our recommended cosmetic dentists who have real credentials in cosmetic dentistry (not just advertising claims) and get this fixed so that your smile looks beautiful and stays looking beautiful. Your experience is a good illustration of the false economy of poor quality cosmetic dentistry. Done right, this tooth will look beautiful for many years.
– Dr. Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
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