I wanted to have a beautiful Hollywood smile. So my dentist recommended porcelain veneers. I ended up getting four done on my front teeth on the top arch. We talked in detail about the look I was going for and he was very convincing. But there is a problem. My teeth look short to me and I can’t get past it. I seem to notice my gums showing more than my teeth when I smile. As if that isn’t bad enough, I think my gums also look uneven. The portion that shows on my front, middle tooth isn’t even or symmetrical with the one next to it. I realize I may be picky, but I paid a lot of money and I’m not satisfied. When I was looking at before and after photographs online they appeared to be much fuller looking. Does that make sense? I even mentioned my concern at the try-on stage and my dentist told me that the veneers would be a vast improvement from the way they looked before. He said they look great and that this is as good as it is going to get because porcelain veneers don’t reshape teeth. Is it possible that I pushed him into this or was I honestly expecting too much?
-Sheila in North Carolina
Sheila,
Unfortunately for you, it sounds like your dentist may not be very experienced in cosmetic dentistry. Porcelain veneers typically deliver beautiful, dramatic results when they are done correctly. An excellent cosmetic dentist would absolutely be able to reshape teeth. That said, the way you are describing the unevenness and look of your gums suggests that you should have had a different procedure done prior to the veneers being placed.
Gum recontouring would have removed a small amount of gum tissue to really open up your smile. This would have been ideal to make your teeth appear broader and fuller. Some dentists refer to this treatment as laser recontouring, gum reshaping or a gingivectomy. If the dentist you originally went with was experienced in cosmetic dentistry, he should have considered techniques to give you a more symmetrical look. Something as minimal as removing a few millimeters of gum tissue would have done wonders for the final product.
At this point, you will need to have the work redone by an expert cosmetic dentist if you want to improve the look of your gums. It would not be recommended to return to the original dentist that did your porcelain veneers. You shouldn’t be taking treatment recommendations to your dentist or making suggestions. It would be wise to consult with an expert cosmetic dentist if you decide to have them redone and your gums corrected.
Thank you for sharing your story.
This post is sponsored by Barrington cosmetic dentist James Gavrilos, DDS.