"Quick fix" cautionary tale

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#1 Post by **catfish** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 8:17 pm

Now that is a scary story! I'm glad I didn't want veneers, they sure don't seem worth it in any way!

#2 Post by **John37** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:12 pm

I am always scared of stuff like this with dentists and doctors.

I would only want veneers as a last resort. The author said bleaching wouldn't work, but I wonder why she didn't try it first just to see if it improved the appearance enough to be acceptable.

#3 Post by **lionfish** » Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:49 pm

What a truly terrible story. Hope she's got deep pockets, sounds like she's not finished sorting out her problems yet.

Nah, I'm not interested in veneers either.

#4 Post by **badbite** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:27 am

Yikes!

#5 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:51 am

I can't wait to forward this on to my friend who, upon my announcement that I was getting braces said, "Why are you doing that? Just get veneers instead!."

#6 Post by **TheNewEmperor** » Sat Aug 23, 2008 3:10 am

I read this the other day and shuddered...I will admit, veneers sound soooo easy....but there is a darker side when things go wrong plus they need replaced after a few years which makes it very expensive.

Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:30 pm

My previous dentist told me I was not a candidate for braces because I was too old, and there was no way I could save my impacted canine...and that my teeth would never look any whiter with bleaching.

On his business card it says he specializes in 'cosmetic denistry'. Glad I changed dentists before he talked me into veneers.

#8 Post by **John37** » Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:38 am

As I've gotten older and had to deal with some medical problems I've realized that doctors, dentists and other professionals have to be salesman. The doctors try to sell you on their treatment plan or surgery. We'd like to think they would have our best interest in mind, but it's not always the case. That's why it's important for patients to get educated on whatever problem they are dealing with and seek several opinions.

#9 Post by **Lola** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:40 am

A friend of mine admitted that she always wanted braces and had even asked her dentist, who told her she couldn't get them, but he would do veneers instead! He gave her the impression that she wasn't a candidate for braces even though she has very mild crowding which seems pretty suspect to me. Her teeth are all straight, ecept for her incisors which are too far back- Maybe some people aren't candidates for braces (?) but I would assume a full consultation with impression etc would be needed to determine this. (the dentist didn't do one) Luckily she didn't want to go ahead with the veneers so I gave her my orthos details. She is so adament she wants the braces she is now saving her deposit so that after the consultation she can start straight away!
Although it is, or will be, a happy ending, I dread to think what could have happened if she had listened to the dentist. While veneers can look great on people who have damaged or discoloured teeth, she has naturally lovely teeth, crowding aside. One of the reasons I'm so glad I found this site is because it has taught me that the professionals are not always right and we are entitled to a second opinion on our treatment.

#10 Post by **platinum** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:39 am

I guess you can have mal-practise in any area. There are thousands of stories about plastic chirurgy horrors.

One has to remember also, that if your teeth look crap, braces wont fix that. There are loads of people who has to get veneers after braces, because old worn teeth do not look good even when they are straight.
I have read stories about people who had braces and needed veneers afterwards. And they were told that veneers would have fixed the teeth properly and braces were just waste of money.

#11 Post by **bracedat44** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:30 pm

I will be getting whitening then veneers on my top front teeth when the braces come off. My dentist has already fitted me with 4 crowns so I am confident that the results will be good. I personally think that veneers on molars are asking for trouble, period.

#12 Post by **SnowSara** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 3:38 pm

I asked my dentist about bonding to fill in the gaps in my front teeth, but he went on to explain what veneers could do for me instead... but I didn't for one second consider that! Instead, I asked what he thought about me getting braces and he even agreed that my teeth were too nice to mess with, that straightening my own teeth would be the best way to go. And now that all is said and done I certainly agree!

#13 Post by **rellsmommy** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 4:54 pm

That is a horrible situation, and it's sad that people are put through that kind of torture b/c of bad dentists. Anyway I wanted my other half to get veneers only because his bite (in my opinion) isn't really bad, and because some of his teeth vary in size. Do veneers have to be replaced at all? in 10 years? I think I read that in the article, and also somewhere else. He wants braces, but I think one tooth is too small for a bracket lol.

He needs some whitening as well. But anyway I didn't want us in braces at the same time even though its kinda sweet in a way...

#14 Post by **jennicakes** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 10:57 pm

That is scarey. I would have gotten veneers about 5 years ago, but thank god the cosmetic dentist i saw did not do payment plans! At the time, I was extremely disappointed, but now that I'm older and wiser, I know that veneers would have been a horrible idea.

#15 Post by **Lola** » Mon Aug 25, 2008 11:47 pm

My ortho does razor thin veneers, lumineers I think they're called, where you don't have to have any of your own tooth removed. Presumably you'd have to have straight teeth for this, as they couldn't build up a shape, but it seems like a great alternative for anyone who get braces but is left unhappy with the condition of their teeth. Don't know of any side effects but I would assume they are much better than normal veneers??