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West Seneca, NY
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Archives for February 2020

Porcelain Veneers Have Too Much Shine

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I have porcelain veneers that I haven’t been pleased with. From the beginning, they have looked fake. I think the problem is they are overly shiny. It’s not a natural shine, but almost blinding. I don’t know what caused that. My dentist thinks they’re fine, but I’m hoping there is a way to get the shine a bit less. Any ideas?

Katelyn

Dear Katelyn,

natural looking porcelain veneers

You should know it is the glaze on the porcelain is what gives the porcelain veneers their shine. It is also what protects the veneers from stains. I’m going to take a very tiny leap here and say there is likely one big difference between the veneers you see above and the ones placed on your teeth. If you look at the image of the teeth above, you will see that there are ridges and texture. My guess is yours are flat. Without the texture, they will have an unnatural, too bright shine.

You can remove the glaze simply. However, you do not want to do that. Because, if you do your porcelain veneers will have no protection and will quickly begin picking up stains. That will cause them to look pretty shabby.

My recommendation is pretty simple. You paid for a beautiful smile and you deserve to get one. Ask you dentist to re-do the smile.

I can tell your dentist isn’t a true cosmetic dentist just by the fact you said he told you it looks fine. Those who invest time in cosmetic dentistry know that it is the patient who determines how beautiful the results of the smile makeover are. For instance, Dr. Krutchick would use a temporary try-in paste to place your porcelain veneers. Then you’d get a great look at them. If you weren’t thrilled, they would not be bonded on your teeth. If you weren’t, they would go right back to the lab. Some dentists, like Dr. Krutchick, call this a beautiful smile guarantee.

If you don’t think your dentist has the skills to create a smile you’ll love, you could just ask for a refund and have another dentist do it. If you go that route, look for a dentist recommended by mynewsmile.com. You can search specifically in your area. This website pre-screens cosmetic dentists for their training, technical knowledge and artistic ability.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.

Ugly Composite Work

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I am quite upset and don’t know how to get this fixed. I had some open spots at the gumline that were quite sensitive. My dentist placed composite fillings on them. The problem I have is they do not match the remainder of my teeth at all. It’s humiliating to think that they are seen when I smile. Is it possible to remove the fillings as they are without damaging my teeth any further? If so, how do you propose I should fix this?

Meredith

Dear Meredith,

teeth with abfraction lesions Those sensitive areas at the top of your gumline are called abfraction lesions. We used to believe they were created by brushing your teeth too aggressively. However, now we think it has more to do with clenching your teeth. Clenching flexes the teeth at the gumline which causes the tooth to wear away at that point.

My guess is your dentist meant well but was in over their head a bit. There is a way to remove this without damaging your teeth. However, I’d like you to go to see a dentist with more expertise to have this done. They can use dental burs to remove the enamel without causing damage to the underlying structure.

Then, they’ll be able to match the dental bonding to your natural tooth structure and color seamlessly. You won’t be able to tell where the dental bonding starts and the natural tooth begins. One word of caution, though if you choose an expert cosmetic dentist, they will already know this. When you are dealing with structure at the gumline, the composite material needs to be more flexible than most so it doesn’t pop out under pressure. Two brands I would recommend are Silux Plus or and Renamel.

You may not realize you are clenching your teeth. Most people do it when you are stressed or asleep, so you are not paying attention to it. However, it will cause significant damage to your teeth and jaw. In fact, it could lead to TMJ Disorder. I want to suggest you see a dentist who treats TMJ so you can be proactive before more damage is done.

This blog is brought to you by West Seneca Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.