When I was a kid I fell down and chipped my tooth and as I’ve gotten older the tooth has become darker. There is one filling in the tooth that I have had for quite awhile. I don’t like the way this tooth looks and really want it to be fixed. My dentist told me that a crown is not the way to go because the tooth is dead and has become calcified. Do you think Lumineers is a good solution? My dentist told me that I wouldn’t like Lumineers because of problems with the treatment. Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated.
– Jen from North Carolina
Dear Jen,
Did you know that Lumineers is just a particular brand of porcelain veneers?
By the sounds of it, your dentist may not be the most comfortable with cosmetic procedures. The reason is likely due to the fact that cosmetic treatments like porcelain veneers are not taught in dental school. In order to do this kind of work well, a dentist must pursue additional training beyond dental school. So some dentists may be intimidated by this kind of work or request. It is very important that you do not push your dentist out of their comfort zone.
Porcelain veneers can give beautiful results when they are done well. So it is probably best to begin looking for a cosmetic dentist that can help you with your dark tooth issue. You can keep your regular dentist for routine care and exams, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to seek the talents of a true cosmetic dentist.
If the rest of your smile, aside from the one dark tooth is fine, you may have some other options. You could have direct dental bonding done on that tooth or even just one porcelain veneer over the tooth. If there are other issues with your other teeth, then you may want to consider a full set of veneers.
I hope this information was helpful.
This post is sponsored by Baton Rouge dentist Sherwood Dental Care.
Other links you may be interested in: teeth whitening, Zoom whitening