I took my granddaughter to get some bonding done on four of her teeth. The first thing we wanted was to get the gap closed in her front two teeth. Then, the teeth next to the very front teeth needed bonding done to fix chips and to build them up as they look too far back, but were in good alignment otherwise. We did teeth whitening first in order to get some uniform color. The close he did in the gap looks just fine. But, the two teeth adjacent to those look way too dark and don’t match. He says that’s normal and he’s giving her a natural smile. That if she’s unhappy with it she can use whitening toothpaste. We want him to re-do it. Are we out of place?

Carlson

Dear Carlson,

You are not out of place. Truthfully, those lateral incisors are supposed to be slightly lighter than the central incisors, not darker. Your dentist should know this if he’s a cosmetic dentist. He also should know that whitening toothpaste will have exactly zero positive effect on dental bonding. He’s making two rather basic cosmetic dentistry mistakes.

In these situations, you have two choices. First, you can get a refund or ask your dentist to pay for another cosmetic dentist to fix his mistake. Your second option is to see if he’ll do the part he got wrong over again free of charge.

Truthfully, expecting your dentist to suddenly become an artistic cosmetic dentist is not likely to happen. But, you are certainly welcome to try. Your best bet is to try another dentist and have your dentist pay for the repair. You’re very welcome to show him the response to your question if you need someone to “back you up”. Often a dentist will listen to a peer even when they’re unwilling to listen to a patient.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

Ideally, you’d want a cosmetic dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. AACD accredited dentists are among the best in the country.

If you don’t have one in a reasonable distance, you next option is to look on the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend cosmetic dentists who are skilled and artistic in every state. You’re more likely to find one close to you on that list. Many of their recommended dentists are actually on their way to accreditation.

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