Will a second opinion help if my porcelain veneers are too shiny?

In June of this year, I received porcelain veneers. I hate them because they are too shiny. Nothing about the temporary veneers I tried on in May gave me the idea that my teeth would look so fake. People have actually asked me if I am wearing something over my teeth to make them super shiny.

I’m upset with myself for believing my dentist before he bonded my veneers on. He said that they looked super shiny because my natural teeth were so very dull and discolored. Almost daily, and every time I see pictures of myself smiling, I ache inside because I have spent thousands of dollars on a smile that doesn’t look natural. I’m wondering if you can tell me what to expect if I get a second opinion to see if the shine can be toned down. Thanks. Yukiko

Yukiko,

Proper shine and texture on the surface of porcelain veneers are crucial to helping them look natural. The glaze on porcelain veneers is needed to make it stain resistant, but also to give it a natural sparkle. But it must be applied correctly. From your description, your porcelain veneers lack texture. When the glaze is applied to a very flat surface, veneers won’t look natural.

Take a look at the teeth in the photo below. Three of teeth are natural, but the lateral incisor on the right is a dental crown. Now tooth a look at the surface of the teeth. It is irregular, yet shiny. Texture helps to make teeth sparkle. Porcelain restorations must have texture, too. The dental crown looks completely natural.

Natural-Looking Porcelain Veneers from a Cosmetic Dentist

The mishap with your porcelain veneers doesn’t occur with a skilled cosmetic dentist. Although you said that during the try-in, your dentist assured you the veneers only appeared to be super sparkly because your natural teeth were dull, you were not given accurate information.

An expert cosmetic dentist ensures you love your new smile during the try-in. He or she wants knows that after the veneers are bonded to your teeth, they would need to be remade if corrections are needed. What you see during the try-in is what you’ll continue to see for 15 years or more until your veneers need to be replaced.

Your dentist should have been willing to send your veneers back to the laboratory to redo your smile makeover. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

What Are Your Options?

• Prophy Jet polish - A dental hygienist can use a Prophy Jet to polish the veneers, which will destroy the glaze from the porcelain and decrease the shine. But your veneers still won’t look natural because they will lack texture. They will also readily attract stain.
• Remake the veneers - We suggest that you ask your dentist to have your porcelain veneers remade. You paid for a smile makeover but didn’t receive what you wanted. Insist that you try-in the new veneers and that they are bonded to your teeth only when you love the new look.
• Second opinion - Your dentist will likely be willing to have your porcelain veneers remade, but if he isn’t, a second opinion from an accredited cosmetic dentist will greatly help. If you choose to receive new porcelain veneers from another dentist, consider the costs you might incur. Your current dentist might be willing to cooperate in at least partially compensating you in some way.

This post is sponsored by NJ accredited cosmetic dentist and 11-time recipient of the NJ Monthly magazine Top Dentist award Dr. Allyson Hurley.