How To Avoid Getting Bad Porcelain Veneers (Part 4)

Getting porcelain veneers can be fun or traumatic, depending on whether the final outcome is beautiful or badly flawed. Learn the 10 most common mistakes when getting porcelain veneers, and how to avoid them.

You are reading part 4 of a four part series describing the 10 most common mistakes we've seen dentists make when placing dental veneers on their patients. By reading this series, you will be empowered with the knowledge to help you avoid choosing a dentist who is lacking experience or training in cosmetic procedures such as veneers. The skill required for doing a total smile makeover -- and making it look extraordinarily beautiful -- is an art that cannot be learned in a weekend continuing education seminar. It takes months of intense learning and practice.

The first 7 most common mistakes were covered in the previous articles in this series. Please go back and read them first if you haven’t read them already. Now, shall we continue….

8. The eighth mistake we’d like to cover here is miscommunication or a lack of communication with the patient. When a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs is consulting with you about your smile and the smile makeover recommendations that he has, he should not be rushed and should take as much time as needed to answer all your questions and address your concerns. Most dentists in Colorado Springs will do a wax-up to show you how your smile can be improved and how the veneers will look on your teeth, and they will also show you several before and after photos of previous clients. He should be able to explain the current esthetic state of your gum line, and whether you require periodontal surgery for optimal results with the veneers. You presumably will have questions about the materials used, such as the ceramics, the hemostatic agents, the dental cement, etc., and your dentist should be able to answer these questions without getting defensive or rushing through the conversation.

9. The next mistake is taking on too many clients at one time. When you are paying top dollar for a cosmetic dental procedure, you don’t want to feel like a number on an assembly line. Your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs should be focused on you during your appointments. If you have to sit in the waiting room longer than fifteen minutes past your appointment, if the dentist seems rushed or can’t remember the specifics of your case, or if you feel like you’re being herded like cattle along with the other patients in the office at the same time, you should move on to another dentist who schedules his patients appropriately.

10. Finally, the last -- but not the least -- problem to look out for is a dentist who cannot tell you what certifications he has or what professional associations he is a member of. Who did your dentist learn cosmetic dentistry techniques from? How long has he been studying and practicing cosmetic dentistry? Does he teach other dentists his techniques?

We hope you have enjoyed this series!

How To Avoid Getting Bad Porcelain Veneers (Part 2)

Getting porcelain veneers can be fun or traumatic, depending on whether the final outcome is beautiful or badly flawed. Learn the 10 most common mistakes when getting porcelain veneers, and how to avoid them.

We wrote in part 1 of this series about why getting porcelain veneers can be an incredibly fun and rewarding experience for both the patient and the dentist. The results of good veneers done by a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs with an exceptional amount of training and experience can be life-changing. Because a smile is one of the most prominent features of the face, a total smile makeover can enhance your appearance and make you look more youthful. However, badly done veneers can be devastating.

If you missed part 1 of this series, click here to read the first two major mistakes made by dentists when they do veneers with a lack of expertise. Read on to learn more common mistakes and how to avoid them.

3. The third common mistake is failure to use a good esthetic ceramicist. In this case, the overall skill of the dentist may be quite good, but the final outcome will look dull or fake. Make sure your dentist in Colorado Springs has a good relationship with a trusted ceramicist. The wrong materials used in making your veneers could make your veneers susceptible to irreversible staining, or even a problem with the way light reflects off your teeth. You do not want people to say, “Why did you get veneers?” or even, “What nice veneers you have!” When you pay upwards of $1,000 per porcelain veneer, people better be telling you that you have beautiful teeth! The right ceramicist will make all the difference.

4. A fourth mistake is doing the wrong number of veneers. Many patients visit their cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs and say they want to get veneers on 6 upper teeth (the ones that show when you smile for a picture). The problem here is that most individuals actually show the top 8 - 10 teeth when they smile. When 6 teeth are done instead of 8 or 10, the smile can look imbalanced or it can be obvious that the front 6 don’t match the rest of the teeth in the mouth. People will notice this during a casual conversation with you. Even if you have an unusually small mouth opening, you will probably show 8 teeth when you smile. If your dentist lets you get away with having 6 teeth done, this could be a red flag that you should look for another dentist. On the other hand, if your dentist tries to convince you to get 8 or 10 teeth done instead of 6, please understand that he is not just trying to make more money. He is genuinely trying to offer you a more desirable result.

Come back next week to read part 3 of this series.

How To Find a Top Cosmetic Dentist in Colorado Springs

This article explains the difference between a general dentist who does cosmetic dental services and a cosmetic dentist who has been specially trained in this field.

Many general dentists in today’s day and age are doing cosmetic dental procedures such as teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. They may even advertise themselves as cosmetic dentists even though they are actually just general dentists who do some cosmetic procedures. It can be confusing sometimes for consumers to discern the difference, since there is no set of regulations for the practice of cosmetic dentistry or the use of that term in marketing materials. As long as a person is licensed in the field of dentistry, he may call himself a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs.

Now sometimes, you might not actually need a fully trained cosmetic dentist. Sometimes a good general dentist will do. For instance, for routine cleaning and maintenance of your dental implants or porcelain veneers, your regular general dentist’s office should suffice. If you live closer to a general dentist that you know and prefer to see on a regular basis (which may be more affordable than going to a cosmetic dentist for a routine cleaning and checkup), it can be a smart step to choose the general dentist for routine occasions.

However, if you are in need of an ultimate smile makeover, you will need to see a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs if you want to have the absolute finest results. For instance, if you need your teeth whitened, a general dentist will probably make impressions of your mouth and then send you home with an expensive home whitening kit. The guesswork will be up to you concerning how long to leave the trays in your mouth, and the entire process could take weeks of wearing these trays for a certain amount of time each day. A cosmetic dentist will whiten your teeth professionally in his office. The entire process will likely only take an hour, and the financial expense will likely be very similar in this case to the whitening kit that a general dentist will sell to you.

If you need porcelain veneers or a porcelain crown for a dental implant, you will without question want to go to a cosmetic dentist, rather than a general dentist who can place a veneer or crown. The difference in the finished result is quite striking. A cosmetic dentist will use a professional ceramicist who will custom-make your veneers to best fit your mouth and facial shape. The veneers will look like natural teeth, except that they won’t stain like a natural tooth, and they will likely not need to be replaced for a couple of decades. A general dentist in Colorado Springs will not custom-make your veneers. They will be shaped exactly like everyone else’s veneers, and they may start to turn yellowish after a few years or even months. People may compliment you and say, “Your veneers are lovely. Who did them?” When you go to a cosmetic dentist, people will say you have a beautiful smile, but they will have no idea you actually have dental veneers.

An Overview of Cosmetic Dentistry Services in Colorado Springs

This article explains the many different procedures a cosmetic dentist can perform, besides the usual teeth whitening process.

Did you know that a cosmetic dentist can actually provide you with a complete smile makeover? Many people are surprised to learn that there is more to dentistry than cavity prevention, braces, and teeth whitening. A cosmetic dentist can help you with a variety of cosmetic imperfections related to your smile. Be sure to ask a cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs what procedures will be best for your particular situation.

Some people first go to a cosmetic dentist because they are seeking a more polished appearance to get ready for an important life event such as a graduation, wedding, or a professional career. While we often think of models, actors, and public figures as having jobs that depend on them looking great and having amazing teeth, the truth is that a great smile is important in every profession. Even professional football players seek cosmetic dentistry so they can have beautiful smiles for media interviews and photos. Salespersons know the power of having nice teeth and closing more sales. Your next job promotion could be dependent on having a glamorous smile, even if the hiring manager is not even aware of the subconscious decision to choose someone with a great smile over someone with yellow, broken teeth.

It’s a fact that teeth that are not aligned properly, crowded, or discolored can influence first impressions and subconscious beliefs about a person. Knowing you have a variety of dental imperfections can make you feel self-conscious in social situations. It can influence how often you speak, smile, or laugh, and can lower your overall happiness. Oftentimes people suffering from depression will find great relief in having a smile makeover and finally feeling confident enough to smile again. Invisalign, crowns, and porcelain veneers can fix crowded teeth, misaligned teeth, and discolored teeth.

Do you love to drink coffee, tea, soda, or wine? Do you smoke or chew tobacco or enjoy a cigar every now and then? Chances are great that your teeth are discolored! Do you have eroded enamel as a result of medication, illness, or unknown etiology? Eroded enamel will guarantee tooth discoloration and staining. However, you don’t have to live with discolored teeth anymore. Professional teeth whitening a few times a year will alleviate your problem. If your enamel is damaged, ceramic veneers may be a better option. Veneers are stain-resistant. Your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can place crowns and porcelain veneers.

Another common dental issue is known as the “gummy smile.” This occurs when too much gum tissue shows when you smile or laugh. It can look almost like you don’t have any teeth because a gummy smile usually goes hand-in-hand with having very small and short teeth. Laser recontouring, veneers, lip surgery, jaw surgery, crown lengthening, and gingival surgery are some different options that can be done to fix a gummy smile. Your cosmetic dentist may refer you to a periodontist. Together, the cosmetic dentist and periodontist will provide procedures that will get rid of the extra gum tissue and make your natural teeth longer and larger (if they are too small). Your final smile will be more aesthetically pleasing.

Large gaps between teeth can be another embarrassing problem. This may also be caused by having teeth that are too small for your mouth. Your cosmetic dentist in Colorado Springs can help you fix tooth gaps. Invisalign, veneers, and crowns can usually fix this problem easily.