Dr. Hall,
I recently had 10 lumineers put on my teeth. I had previously had 4 done ( probably not Lumineers) 20 years ago. The current doctor ordered with a stain on them to look natural. I specifically asked for a very white smile ( after in depth discussion). Once they were placed…I called back 2 days later to tell him I was not pleased with the color. He then drilled off the top layer to whiten. Now I have dull, dead looking teeth and they are mishapen. Is this not an absolute insult to the procedure? I am sick at the $13,000 I have spent. Was drilling really appropriate?
– Karen from Texas
Karen,
You’re not really asking me about what to do now, so I guess you’re figuring there isn’t really much you can do. However, you may be able to get something done if your Lumineers look bad enough. What you will need is help from another dentist to put pressure on this dentist to fully refund your money or partially refund it, so you can have it re-done. There is a chance your dentist might respond to that.
Here are some points to take away about your story.
First, you have maybe figured out already that you were at the wrong dentist. Fewer than 1 or 2% of dentists are artistic enough to do a beautiful smile makeover. And if you go to a dentist who advertises for Lumineers, your chances of getting an artistic dentist are actually not very good. In cosmetic dentistry circles, the Lumineers brand has a reputation of giving a “B” or a “C” smile at the very best, and good cosmetic dentists are looking for the “A” or even “A+” result.
Second, I can totally understand what this dentist was thinking when he ordered the stain. In dental school we were taught that you needed that natural stain in the teeth, and our instructors taught us never to do really white teeth or they would look fake. Well, once I was in private practice, I decided to listen more to my patients, and if they wanted really white teeth I did them. So your dentist was just doing as he was taught. But a true cosmetic dentist will listen more to the patient and try to meet your expectations and understands that we all like white teeth.
Sooner or later you’re going to want to have these teeth re-done, if they look as bad as it sounds like. When you do, please select from our list of cosmetic dentists. We have five in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and all of them do beautiful work. That is why I have this website – to help people like you find excellent cosmetic dentistry care. You cannot rely on the dentist’s self-proclaimed expertise in cosmetic dentistry.
– Dr. Hall
Click here to ask the dentist a question.
We thank our advertisers who help fund this site. |
|
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.