I was so set on porcelain veneers and wouldn’t listen to anything the dentist told me. I think I screwed up.
Here’s the deal. My teeth have always looked short and stubby to me. I would hide my smile in photos and was very self-conscious. This actress I follow was complaining about the same issues she had when she was a teenager. So, I insisted on getting porcelain veneers because her smile is absolutely flawless. I thought porcelain veneers would transform my smile. But, they look silly. Now, my teeth look too long and bulky. I literally feel like Bugs Bunny and now I hide my smile for the opposite reason.
Maybe it’s not that bad and they just look so different. But, I’m embarrassed and think that I ended up with this problem because I insisted on porcelain veneers. Did I have too high of expectations? My teeth look nothing at all like the actress.
-Shelly in Kansas
Shelly,
Hollywood smiles can be quite glamorous indeed. There are a few key things that need to be addressed in regard to your situation.
Generally, it is never a good idea to insist on a specific treatment option. Each dentist has different strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, it sounds like the dentist you saw may not have been comfortable with porcelain veneers. Or rather, they may have overestimated their ability. That happens often when it comes to porcelain veneers.
Porcelain Veneers to Fix Short Teeth
Actually, porcelain veneers can be used to improve the appearance of short teeth. And what you may not realize is not just any dentist can do beautiful cosmetic dentistry. In order to do truly stunning porcelain veneers, a dentist must have extensive training beyond dental school. It takes an eye for beauty that not every general dentist has.
General dentists may excel at functional dentistry, like cavities, crowns, and other treatments. But, when you are looking for appearance-related dentistry, you need to be highly selective. If a dentist is affiliated with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) that is a good indicator of the quality of cosmetic dentistry services you will receive. It is also recommended to ask about the dentist’s credentials, as well as checking out before and after images of cases similar to yours.
Many expert cosmetic dentists also offer what is called a beautiful smile guarantee. This means you will have multiple opportunities to see exactly what the porcelain veneers will look like before they are permanently cemented in place. An excellent cosmetic dentist will not be satisfied unless you absolutely love your new smile. Sadly, it doesn’t sound like this is the type of dentist you saw for the work you had done.
It is possible your dentist may be able to shorten them and reduce the bulkiness and length. However, if you truly are looking for a Hollywood-worthy smile, you may need to move on and find a more experienced cosmetic dentist.
Thank you for your question.
This post is sponsored by Barrington cosmetic dentist James T. Gavrilos, DDS.