I went to my dentist for a normal check-up. He told me I had cracking in my front teeth and said I needed Lumineers to strengthen my enamel. He said if I agreed to have it done that month, he could offer me a two for one special. I agreed, because I didn’t want to have to pay twice as much a month from them to fix my teeth. However, they look awful. They’re bulky and don’t look at all like me. I feel like I’ve got cheaply done fake teeth. What can I do?
Sylvia S. Sheridan, AR
Sylvia,
There are a couple of things that bother me about your case. The first is the pressure sales tactics. Those are always a red flag of sorts in any kind of dental care. Secondly, sometimes what appear to be cracks in your teeth are in fact craze lines that in know way compromise the physical integrity of your teeth.
Unfortunately, we hear those complaints about Lumineers often. People don’t always realize that they are just a brand of porcelain veneers, not anything special. In fact, without the care of an expert cosmetic dentist, you’ll probably end up with a bulky, fake looking smile like you feel you’ve received. That is because they are advertised as easily done and a no-prep technique, but it actually takes a great deal of skill to pull that off and make them look good.
The only way to fix this is to have completely new veneers put on. I would definitely look for a different dentist to do it. You may see if there is anyone in your area who is AACD accredited. They would have the expertise to give you the beautiful smile you deserve.
This blog is brought to you by Boston Cosmetic dentist Dr. Randall Burba.