I fell down a little over a year ago and hit my face on the curb. I ended up breaking the bottom half of one of my top, front teeth. Also, I have several teeth that are discolored. The cosmetic dentist went ahead and did dental bonding to fix the discoloration on my front teeth. That was done before my accident. But after my fall, the tooth just didn’t look right. I feel like it stands out when I smile and I’m unhappy with the way it looks. When I started looking into porcelain veneers, I was shocked how expensive they are. I did some looking online and was wondering if they are any good products out there because they are so much less expensive. But, I’m not sure how they will fit on my upper teeth and how they will look in the end. Can you provide some recommendations and give me a better idea if this could be an option?
-Paul in Washington
Paul,
First off, many people don’t realize that cosmetic dentistry is like an art. It is not a designated specialty area withing dentistry, so this means that any dentist can claim to be a cosmetic dentist. Therefore, there is a very wide range of cosmetic dentistry work that people think is acceptable. There are only 1-2% of dentists who actually have the extensive training, experience and attention to detail to deliver beautiful results. So, it is important to realize that it’s the skill of the dentist that creates beauty.
You are correct that porcelain veneers are expensive. So, going online is a bit of a risk. But, it all depends on how important it is to you that they blend in seamlessly with your surrounding teeth. For a flawless look, you’ll want to meet with an expert cosmetic dentist. If you are looking to save a buck, there are some online options that you may want to take a chance on.
If you decide it’s worth a try, the good news is that if you don’t like the way they look or feel in the end, you can always pop them off. Then, you’ll be back to your original smile. If you have lower expectations, then you may be satisfied. These are usually called ‘snap-on veneers’. They may look OK and not perfect. But the final decision is completely up to you.
The best snap-on veneers are called Snap-On Smile. This is something that is done in partnership with a dentist’s supervision. Unfortunately, as you look and research them online, you may see some negative feedback from patients. This is typically because people are expecting a Hollywood smile, but they aren’t going to achieve that without using an excellent cosmetic dentist. So, as long as you manage your expectations, this could be a good fit for your situation.
If you go with a product that does not require a dentist’s supervision, you can expect the quality of the product to be compromised. You may see some offers that provide remote dental services. Again, there can be issues with customer service when you aren’t seeing the dentist in person. Generally speaking, dentists who are involved with some of these companies may be compromising on dental ethics. They know the quality of the service they provide cannot be perfect because it is remote, but they have justified that and are still interested in the extra money. So, just keep all these factors in mind as you move forward.
Thank you for your question. Hopefully, this information is helpful as you determine what the right next steps are for you. Also, hopefully it will be beneficial to others who are considering going with online cosmetic dentistry services or products. It’s not for every patient.
This post is sponsored by Barrington cosmetic dentist James T. Gavrilos, DDS.