And keep in mind that these letters are only a sampling of this type of
complaint that I receive. I have received hundreds of letters that are
similar to these, in which the patient has sought treatment from a dentist
who claimed to understand cosmetic dentistry but didn't. 
Lynn in Minnesota says her dentist is
trained in cosmetic dentistry, but her porcelain veneers look gray. Dr.
Hall explains that true cosmetic dentists know how to use opaquers to block
out the underlying color of dark teeth.
Stephen in Ontario said that his wife recently got three new fillings.
She wanted white fillings,
and the dentist obliged, but now she has terrible pain in all three teeth.
Dr. Hall explains that the dentist was probably not fully trained in placing
white fillings on back teeth, but did them anyway to try to please his
patient.
Cindy in New Jersey had six porcelain
veneers placed. Several months later, one of them cracked. The dentist
replaced the cracked veneer, but the replacement veneer is much thicker and
whiter than the other five. Dr. Hall helps her get a refund and a
referral to an expert cosmetic dentist who gives her a beautiful smile.
Karen in Ohio had bonding done, but the
bonding looked like putty and now has come off. Dr. Hall explains color
depth and opaquing.
Michelle in Georgia says she wants
her bonding replaced but her dentist says that the new bonding will be amber
colored and she should have caps instead. Dr. Hall tells her how
bonding, in the hands of an expert cosmetic dentist, can look beautiful and
can be as white as she wants.
Tom in London, England went to a dentist for a new smile, but his porcelain
veneers have begun to yellow after only two months. Dr. Hall
questions if the porcelain veneers are really made of porcelain.
Stacy in Missouri asked her dentist to
give her the whitest veneers possible. But the veneers she got are actually
darker than her own bleached teeth. Dr. Hall tells her that general
dentists often don't know the full spectrum of colors that are available in
cosmetic dentistry materials and that there is no limit as to how white she
can have her veneers.
Lee Ann in Tennessee has six porcelain
veneers. One had to be replaced because it chipped, and the new one is more
opaque than the others. Dr. Hall urges her to go to a genuine cosmetic
dentist who understands color and opacity.
A.R. in California has had upper veneers for
seven months, and they are starting to get a yellow tinge. Dr. Hall tells
A.R. that properly done porcelain veneers, that are really made out of
porcelain, are very color-stable.
Gonzalo in Alabama had one tooth bonded,
and now he wants to bleach his teeth. Dr. Hall tells him that his bonded
tooth will not bleach and that he should have bleached first and bonded after
that.
Sharla in Iowa wants porcelain veneers,
but her dentist says they won't last and that she should have one front tooth
pulled and then a bridge. Dr. Hall congratulates her on not wanting her
front tooth extracted and urges her to go to a fully trained cosmetic dentist
who can give her a beautiful smile.
Matthew in Pennsylvania had his front two
teeth bonded. On one tooth, in several places, there is
some discoloration in the bonding.
Dr. Hall tells him that his dentist may be doing the best that can be done under
the circumstances.
Barbara's daughter in New Jersey had
uneven color on her two front teeth. Her dentist recommended bleaching, but the
blotchy color hasn't gotten any better. Dr. Hall tells her that bleaching
was the wrong treatment for this case and to consult a fully trained cosmetic
dentist for this situation.
Chris in Oregon is having 11 crowns done on her top
teeth. After the first appointment, the lab technician said they were going to
do porcelain to metal crowns, but Chris wants Empress crowns. Dr. Hall
expresses some grave reservations about how this case is proceeding and
recommends that she switch dentists.
Silvia in California had a porcelain veneer and a
porcelain crown done on her two front teeth. While they looked okay in the office, and she
signed a paper in the office that they looked fine, when she goes into outside
light, they look different in color. Dr. Hall explains the concept of color
metamerism that her general dentist maybe doesn't understand.
Tracy in New Jersey had porcelain veneers done 22 months ago, and
all the porcelain
veneers have fallen off. The dentist made a whole new set, and one of the
new ones has now fallen off, and all the teeth hurt terribly.
Marie from Wisconsin has had porcelain veneers for six years. The last time
she got her teeth cleaned, the hygienist used the prophy jet salt-water spray to
clean them. Since then the veneers have become more yellow. Could the spray have
damaged the veneers?
Lesley in Texas had Lumineers
and crowns placed. Now one of them is turning dark, and she is
terribly self-conscious. The advertising makes it seem that it is easy
to place Lumineers, but this case shows
how going to the wrong dentist can become a terrible mistake.
Mark in Michigan had four porcelain veneers, then had six more
done. The new
porcelain veneers don't match the old ones.
Read Dr. Hall's blog posts about
cosmetic dentistry mistakes, where he answer's more patients' questions.
Click here to read about the difference between a general dentist and a cosmetic dentist.
Click here to read Dr. Hall's blog post about how to ask for a
refund from your dentist.
