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Did I Harm My Baby By Getting Porcelain Veneers?

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I did not know I was pregnant when I got porcelain veneers. It was in the first trimester of my pregnancy and I’ve heard that is the most dangerous time. Did I cause harm to my baby?

Selena

Dear Selena,

A single porcelain veneer being held up o a tooth

First, congratulations! How exciting that you are having a baby. I’m glad you wrote. The porcelain veneers procedure you had will not have harmed your baby. It is true that we do not recommend dental work in the first trimester. This is because during that time period, the baby is the most vulnerable to foreign substances. But, here is the good news.

The only foreign substance generally used in the porcelain veneers procedure is a local anesthetic. The most commonly used of these is Lidocaine. This is one of the few medications that has been proven safe to use in pregnancy. In fact, it is even used during labor and delivery.

One thing you don’t want to do when you are pregnant is to avoid the dentist. Keeping your oral health up is the best thing you can do for your baby. I’d plan ahead and schedule your regular cleaning. The best time for that is the second trimester. You don’t have the worries of the first trimester and you will be much more comfortable in the dental chair than you will be in the second trimester. This way you can avoid any dental emergencies.

Though, if you do end up with a tooth infection or something similar, please do get it dealt with no matter what trimester you are in. You don’t want to pass any bad bacteria on to your baby from an untreated tooth infection.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Do You Need Additional Procedures with Porcelain Veneers?

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I am a bit confused. I went to my dentist for a smile makeover, asking for porcelain veneers. Here are the problems I am wanting to address. My teeth have discolored over the years and one is a bit longer than the other due to a fall I took in elementary school, and one of the front teeth is a little crooked, not much at all, just enough where I want it dealt with. My dentist is suggesting I get Invisalign first to straighten the one front tooth, then teeth whitening, then porcelain veneers. Do I really need all those extra procedures? I was under the impression that the porcelain veneers could make the front teeth look straight and they would be made any color I wanted, even very white.  Am I missing something?

Lainey

Dear Lainey,

A single porcelain veneer being held up o a tooth

I am glad you wrote and can help here. Yes, you are correct that a skilled cosmetic dentist can use porcelain veneers to make teeth look straight. Invisalign should be completely unnecessary in your situation. If the issue with the front teeth is as minor as you say and your dentist does not feel comfortable using veneers to address that problem, then he is not a skilled cosmetic dentist. I do not recommend pushing him into doing it, though. You will not like the results. Instead, I’d find an expert cosmetic dentist who can do the job without needing to resort to orthodontics.

The teeth whitening, however, is a different story. Unless you are planning to place a porcelain veneer on every tooth, which would be very expensive, then you will want to whiten your teeth before having the porcelain veneers placed. Yes, the veneers will make your teeth whiter, but if the ones that don’t have the veneers on them are not whitened, you will end up with an odd looking smile where they can tell that you have some “false” teeth placed. Most smiles are eight to ten teeth wide. If you’re getting that many veneers, you may not need the upper arch whitened. When we smile, people see our upper teeth. When we talk, however, people see our lower teeth. You do not want those a vastly different color than your smile. Whitening them will make your smile makeover cohesive and natural looking.

I hope this helps. It’s actually significantly less expensive to whiten and then place veneers on the upper teeth, than it is to place veneers on every tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Mouthwash and Porcelain Veneers

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I have porcelain veneers and want to take good care of them. I generally use a homemade mouth wash. The ingredients are:
8 OZ FILTERED WATER
8 OZ OF 3% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
2 TBS SEA SALT.

Is this safe to use on my porcelain veneers?

Benny

Dear Benny,

A single porcelain veneer being held up o a tooth

Nothing in that mixture will harm your porcelain veneers. I am a bit concerned the hydrogen peroxide. While that is a good way to kill bacteria in your mouth, it does not distinguish between good and bad bacteria. With constant use, other microbes will continue to grow in your mouth unchecked because there is not the right stuff there to keep it in check. One of those microbes is candida albicans. This will lead to an oral yeast infection and make you very uncomfortable.

If you use this mixture periodically, instead of daily, you should be okay. If you decide to use an over the counter mouthwash, just be certain that it does not contain any alcohol. That will eat away at the bonding on your porcelain veneers and put them at risk.

As for things you can do to care for your veneers, aside from keeping up with your dental appointments and daily oral hygiene, I recommend using Supersmile Toothpaste to clean your veneers. It is specifically designed to safely work with dental work.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.
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Don’t Be Fooled By 360 Veneers

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I went to my dentist to ask about getting e.max veneers and he suggested that I would be a much better candidate for 360-wrap veneers. I was a bit nervous about the 360 part because I did not want much tooth removed. I specifically asked about that and the dentist told me hardly any and I’d have nothing to worry about. Unfortunately, not only was that a lie but this whole procedure has been a disaster and I have been left afraid to leave my house for fear of another tooth falling off.

It started with the temporaries. After just two days, two of them fell off while I was brushing my teeth. I went back and my dentist bonded them back on. Then, they came out again, plus another one, a few days later while I was out to eat with friends. Again, I went back to the dentist. They assured me that this would not happen once the permanent 360-veneers were placed. This turned out not to be true. I’m facing the same issues with the “permanent” ones. Plus, each one that has fallen off has left me with a tiny nub underneath, which is certainly not what they told me would be the case. I’m afraid to go anywhere and with the holidays approaching, I’m terrified I am going to lose teeth at the family gatherings, two of which are out of town and I will not be able to get to my dentist to rebond them. Do you have any advice for me?

Candice

Dear Candice,

A tooth preparation comparison of porcelain crowns versus porcelain veneers

I am so sorry this happened to you. The first thing you should know, but I think you’ve figured out, is your dentist did not give you 360-wrap veneers. In reality, there is no such thing. What he provided for you was dental crowns. Plus, he lied to you about the amount of structure that would have to be removed. Obviously, the man is ethically challenged.

Why would he suggest crowns when porcelain veneers are the standard for a smile makeover AND what you requested? The most common answer to that is he is not skilled in porcelain veneers, which takes extensive post-doctoral training, while every dentist has training in dental crowns from dental school. Rather than admit he can’t do them, he steers you to a different procedure with some creative phrasing (ie. lying). You should also know that he’s not a very skilled dentist even with dental crowns. While things can go wrong with any case, most dentists go their entire career without a single crown falling out, let alone the incredible number you’ve had fall out. A basic premise of a successful dental case is that the dental work actually stays in your mouth.

I would start by approaching him about these issues and tell him if he will pay for you to have this re-done by a dentist of your choosing you won’t take this any further. You do have recourse because of the poor dental work as well as the deciption. You could talk to the dental board, the insurance company, the Better Business Bureau, and even bring a malpractice suit against him. If you end up with the last option, make sure the lawyer knows that your teeth are now at a greater risk of breaking and needing to be permanently because of their being ground down for crowns.

It is always helpful to have a dentist look at your case and document what is wrong with it. My suggestion is you get an expert cosmetic dentist to do that.

Again, I am terribly sorry this happened to you.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Dentist Damaged My Porcelain Veneer

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I’m a little worried about my porcelain veneer. I had four placed on my top front teeth. They looked okay when I was at the office. However, when I got home, I realized there was a line going across one of them, like a scratch. I called the dentist and he said to come in the next day and he’d fix it. I did and he did some type of process which smoothed it out. It did do that, but I noticed later (why is it always when I get home?) that the part he smoothed looks dull. I’m kind of disappointed. I paid a lot for these and now they don’t match. While it is a small thing, it seems big because they’re my two front teeth. Is there anything I can do about it?

LeeAnne S.

Dear LeeAnne,

A porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

You have a right to be disappointed. Not just because of the money spent, but also because it is your smile we’re talking about. It’s the first thing people notice about you. When your dentist smoothed it out, he also removed the glazing from it. You’ll start noticing in a few days that it will pick up stains.

You need to contact your dentist right away. This way he can’t blame you for the stains. He may do that because he doesn’t really know how to fix it. If he did, he would never have removed the glazing from your porcelain veneers, to begin with. In order to fix this, he’ll need a special diamond polishing kit. Expert cosmetic dentists keep this on hand. Somehow I doubt your dentist does though.

I would ask him to pay for you to get this repaired by someone who’s familiar with the procedure to actually fix it. If he refuses there’s not much you can do except report him to the dental board or get the repair done and then take him to small claims court.

Though, it might help if you tell him you’re going to write several reviews about this incident to warn other patients about his lack of skill as well as his refusal to take responsibility to fix something he damaged.

I’m wondering why you only had four porcelain veneers placed. Most smiles would require between 8-10 veneers because of their width. Though, it is possible you have a narrow smile. Hopefully, your dentist recommended you have your teeth whitened before he did your smile makeover so your adjacent teeth could look similar.

If not, it’s not too late. You can still get them whitened. The whitening gel will not have any effect on your veneers.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

What Do I Do About a Snaggletooth Porcelain Veneer?

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I had a chipped tooth some years ago which I repaired using dental bonding. Since then I’ve moved, and then the bonding started wearing out and showing it’s age. I went to my new dentist to have it replaced and she said it couldn’t be. Instead, I’d need to get a porcelain crown. Truthfully, a porcelain crown seemed a bit of overkill to me. I mean, It’s just a chip. The rest of the tooth is healthy. I don’t want to grind it down. I suggested a porcelain veneer, which seemed the next best conservative option. She agreed. When I went in she bonded it on and sent me on my way. I didn’t even get to see it until I got home. It felt a tad weird in the car, so I looked forward to getting a good long look at it in the mirror. When I did I was shocked. It’s crooked and looks like a snaggle tooth. Plus, I can see a small gap between the veneer and my natural tooth. I’m afraid something will get caught between them and cause decay. I called the office and she said her work is good and I’m just not used to veneers. What do I do?

Missy

Dear Missy,

A porcelain veneers being placed on a tooth

Wow. So far, everything your dentist has said made my eyebrows go up. If you’d reported much more of her incompetence, I don’t think there’d be anywhere left for me to move my eyebrows in my astonishment. It sounds to me like you understand more about dental work than your dentist does. It’s obvious to me you need a new dentist, but in the meantime the current situation you’re in needs to be rectified.

Before we get into that, though, I want to make sure you understand that you absolutely could have had the dental bonding replaced. I have zero ideas why she told you that you couldn’t unless she just plain doesn’t know how to do bonding. Maybe rather than admit the gap in her skill set, she recommended a porcelain crown, which she does know how to do (At least I hope she does.) You were also correct that a crown would have been a huge overtreatment. I’m glad you suggested the porcelain veneer, even though it didn’t turn out as you’d hoped.

Dealing with Improperly Placed Porcelain Veneers

The first thing you’re going to need to do is get a refund. This will have to be completely redone. It sounds like she’s not the type to admit when she’s wrong so you’ll have to enlist the help of another dentist.

To do that you need to get a second opinion from a good cosmetic dentist in your area. See who has good reviews for their cosmetic work. Also, make sure it’s someone who has a beautiful smile guarantee. That way you know they’re the type of dentist to stand behind their work.

One word of caution. Do NOT tell them who did your porcelain veneer. It’s possible they know each other and your second opinion dentist may feel a sense of loyalty to their friend and peer. Just tell them you want a second opinion before you discuss who did the work. That way it will be an unbiased opinion.

If there is a gap you have a strong case for a refund. You are absolutely right. Food and drinks will get caught between the tooth and the veneer. Not only will that make it look like the tooth is picking up stains, but the trapped items will be a petri dish of bacteria causing decay and eventually an infection. This has to be dealt with and is not even considered the minimum of care.

Once you’ve obtained your refund, or even before if you can afford it, you can have the second opinion dentist remake your porcelain veneer.

Best of luck to you…and switch dentists.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo cosmetic dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

I Thought Porcelain Veneers Could Be Customized

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When I talked to my dentist about a smile makeover he told me porcelain veneers were the way to go because they can be customized to what I want. We discussed in depth the color and shape I wanted. I definitely wanted my teeth slightly longer because I feel like the boxiness my teeth have developed age me. I also wanted them whiter.  But, what ended up with looks chalky and, though they are slightly longer, they still look boxy. It’s just not at all what I was expecting. I told my dentist I wasn’t thrilled and he said it was some of his best work. He also said most patients aren’t thrilled at first because it’s new, but after they have it for a few days they love it. Well, it’s been a few days and I’m still not thrilled. Is there anything I can do about this?

Olivia B.

Dear Olivia,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

First, I want to assure you that porcelain veneers can definitely give you a gorgeous, customized smile. However, that is all contingent on the skill of the cosmetic dentist. I’ll be honest with you. I don’t think your dentist has much expertise with cosmetic dentistry just based on his response to your disappointment. A true cosmetic dentist would not be satisfied if their patient wasn’t. Anything short of thrilled isn’t good enough.

The fact that his patients are always disappointed also says something about his skill. In fact, when you get a true smile makeover, you’d likely be so excited with the results that you couldn’t wait to smile and show off your new smile.

Unfortunately, once they’re bonded on the only way to change them is to get new ones. It doesn’t sound like you’re going to be happy with this smile. I’d ask for a refund and then look for a more experienced and artistic cosmetic dentist.  Feel free to ask to see before and after images of cases they’ve done. If you’re not thrilled with the images they showed you (which would logically be some of their best work) move on to a different dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Susan Dennis.

Gums Bleeding Since Porcelain Veneers

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I need some help. I got porcelain veneers about seven months ago. I do like that my smile looks prettier. But, a few months after getting them my gums started hurting and then started bleeding. I just had a dental appointment for my bi-annual cleaning and they told me I’m developing gum disease. I can’t imagine how. They acted like it was my fault, but I’ve always had perfect teeth as far as health goes. I’ve never even had a cavity! I’ve changed nothing about my oral cleaning habits. Could the porcelain veneers be the problem? That’s the only thing I can think of?

Monica

Dear Monica,

A single porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

If you’ve changed nothing about your oral cleaning habits and the only thing different is the porcelain veneers, then the timing is definitely suspicious. Porcelain veneers themselves won’t cause gum disease or bleeding gums, but poorly placed porcelain veneers can do just that.

Have your dentist check for something known as “bulky margins”. It’s when the veneers aren’t placed flush against your teeth. Essentially, it creates a tiny shelf of sorts between the porcelain veneers and your gums. When that happens, micro pieces of food get trapped there, leading to decay and…gum disease.

I’m sorry your hygienist or dentist tried to blame you. In their defense, they may not even realize they’re the problem. As in every field, there is a wide disparity in differences of skill and expertise. This may be how your dentist always does it and they have no idea they’re the problem.

If Your Dentist Doesn’t Recognize What’s Wrong with Your Porcelain Veneers…

It’s a real possibility that he either won’t recognize or refuses to admit the problem. In that case, you’ll need to get a second opinion. If the second cosmetic dentist says the veneers aren’t properly placed, he can help you get a refund. You’ll also need to get treatment for the gum disease, which they should pay for.

You won’t want to leave the veneers there as is. They’ll need to be replaced. You can either trust your current dentist to re-do the procedure or ask your second opinion dentist to do the honors. It’s totally up to you. Don’t forget to check their smile gallery, though, before you agree. And that they have a beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo cosmetic dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Do Porcelain Veneers Have to Look Hollywood?

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I’m considering getting porcelain veneers to improve my smile, but I’m not looking for something Hollywood perfect. Everyone I know who’s gotten veneers has ended up with a celebrity smile. While they’re attractive, it’s obvious by how perfect they are that it’s not their smile. I’m going to run for office and I want to look well put together, but authentic. My teeth just seem to be showing their age. Can porcelain veneers do that?

Norman L.

Dear Norman,

A porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

The beauty of porcelain veneers is that you can stylize them any way you’d like. It depends more on the skill of the dentist than anything else. The key is clear communication. Your first step will be to make sure you go to a dentist who is both technically skilled and artistic. Check out their smile gallery to see what type of results they get. After that check their reviews on Google Reviews and Yelp! It helps to know if patients who’ve had cosmetic work by them liked how they turned out and if the dentist is good with patients.

Do You Need Porcelain Veneers to Give You the Look You Need?

Porcelain veneers can make you look younger by adding some length to your teeth. Our teeth wear down through the years, so adding a tiny amount to the length of your teeth does wonders. Though, you’ll also want a whiter color. They don’t have to be Hollywood white, just white enough to not erase all the coffee or tea you may have drunk over the years.

However, if your teeth are still showing a youthful length, and you have no chips or gaps you want to get rid of, then you may not even need porcelain veneers. If all you need to do is remove the stains that come with age, teeth whitening will be sufficient.

If that’s the case, you won’t even need someone highly skilled in cosmetic dentistry. Your family dentist will do just as good a job at teeth whitening than even the most expensive cosmetic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Susan Dennis.

What Do I Do If My Porcelain Veneers Are Off-Centered?

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I made the mistake of getting a smile makeover done before doing some research. I didn’t realize how much was involved in it and just went to my family dentist. He did say he was certified to place no-prep veneers. He sounded like he knew what he was talking about, so I went ahead with it. Everything seemed to go fine until they were put on. The two issues I noticed right away was they looked bulky and off-centered. The dentist said that it was the angle I was looking at them which made them look off-centered. He also said they probably look bulky because I’m used to how thin my teeth were. He felt this is more full and attractive. He’s the dentist so I decided to go with his assessment. But, it’s really bugging me. I’ve taken selfies to make sure I’m looking at it directly and they still look off-center to me. I don’t know if this can be fixed or if I should just re-do the whole procedure.

Olivia B.

Dear Olivia,

My suspicion is your dentist received certification to place Lumineers. They’re a no-prep brand which is heavily marketed to inexperienced cosmetic dentists as being easy to place. But, as you’ve learned in your subsequent research, there’s a lot of training both in technical proficiency and artistry dentists need in order to do the job well. The Lumineers brand just provides a short seminar and then magically the dentist is certified. That’s not enough time or training.

Let’s address the bulkiness of your teeth first. That is a common issue with no-prep veneers. Even though traditional porcelain veneers only need minimal prep, that tiny bit makes a huge difference. Without it, many smiles end up looking bulky as you’ve noticed. Some dissatisfied patients have come to us after having Lumineers done by another dentist begging us to fix their “horse teeth”.

As for them looking slightly off. A great cosmetic dentist needs to balance where the teeth end with where the gums start and create symmetry throughout. The midline of your face is extremely important. Your teeth should naturally fall on either side of it. They don’t always do that in nature. Sometimes people will have gaps and teeth will shift or they’ll have narrow arches. In those cases, the adult teeth coming in may push the others out of alignment. In either case, orthodontics (such as Invisalign) or cosmetic dentistry can be used to create symmetry. Your dentist didn’t do this.

For an example of this, find a portrait online of Tom Cruise. Look at it carefully. Look at the midline. Notice anything? His midline is off-center by quite a bit.

If you already had a natural symmetry, which you likely did because the off-centered teeth are bugging you, then your dentist misshaped the porcelain veneers. The only way to repair this is to completely re-do them. You may want to give your dentist a chance to get it right, but I’ll understand if you don’t want to take a chance of wasting more time.

In that case, you’ll need to find an artistic cosmetic dentist. When checking out a cosmetic dentist ask about their post-graduate training. You’ll also want to ask to see their smile gallery. Make sure it’s actual cases he or she has done. And make sure you think they’re absolutely stunning. If so, you are likely safe with this dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.