I injured a tooth long ago and it is turning dark. I want to make it more attractive. I talked to my dentist about putting a Lumineers on it, but he said he tried them and they didn’t look that great. He felt I would be disappointed with the results. I don’t want that, but I don’t want my dark tooth either. Should I just extract it and get a false tooth?
Morgan
Dear Morgan,
Please don’t extract the tooth. There is a better solution. You should first know that Lumineers is just one brand of porcelain veneers. I’m not surprised your dentist was disappointed with the results when he tried them. They are often marketed to inexperienced dentists as being easy to place. While they sometimes don’t require tooth preparation for bonding, that doesn’t mean they’re easy to design.
Smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. In order to really learn cosmetic dentistry, dentists have to invest in post-doctoral training. It takes a huge commitment, in both time and money, to learn both the techniques involved as well as developing artistry.
Often when dentists are pushing you away from a certain procedure, such as porcelain veneers, it is because they don’t feel confident doing it. I will strongly warn you not to push your desires onto this dentist. When he says you won’t be happy with the results, he is right.
Fixing Your Dark Tooth
Here is my recommendation. You can continue to see your current dentist for all your general dental needs, such as cleanings, fillings, etc. However, for the repair to this tooth you need to see someone who has invested in cosmetic training.
The two solutions available to you are dental bonding and porcelain veneers. Dental bonding is less expensive but doesn’t last as long. Porcelain veneers are pricier, but will last for many years— maybe even your lifetime. If you are otherwise happy with your smile, you can just get a single porcelain veneer on that one tooth.
On the other hand, if there are other things you would like to change about your smile, you may want to consider getting a total smile makeover with more veneers. You may want to see if there is a dentist with cosmetic expertise that also offers a digital smile design.
This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Imam.