Dr. Hall
My girlfriend had two crooked front teeth from an accident when she was young. She has always wanted to straighten them but hasn’t been able to afford it. I told her I would help her and found an orthodontist on the island where we live. He told us he was skeptical as to whether the teeth would stay in place due to ligament damage.
We went to a dentist supposedly specializing in cosmetic dentistry who suggested porcelain veneers and put us on a payment plan. $6000 later Natalie has six new front top teeth. Unfortunately neither of us are pleased with the shape or size of her new teeth. They look very large and unnatural. Can something be done at this point? Does the dentist have any obligation to help us? Should we see someone else? We are really unhappy with the results, and I am disappointed that we were never shown a model of what they would look like. Thanks for the tips.
Aloha
– Eric in Hawaii
Eric,
You are showing that you have insight into the problem you have by referring to your dentist as someone “supposedly specializing in cosmetic dentistry.” “Supposed” is the word to use because not many of the dentists who declare themselves as cosmetic dentists could actually be called specialists.
Cosmetic dentistry isn’t a legally recognized specialty, and thus any dentist, with no special training at all, can claim to be a cosmetic dentist. This dentist doesn’t have a legal obligation to help you just because you don’t like how they look. As long as the porcelain veneers are functional, that’s ordinarily the extent of his legal obligation.
There are two really good cosmetic dentists in Hawaii. One of them isn’t accepting new patients. The other is Dr. Wynn Okuda in Honolulu. I’d suggest you see him and see what he thinks of your case and what he can do to help.
– 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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