Why Does the Cosmetic Dentist Matter if they Outsource their Ceramic Work

I’m planning on getting a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. Everyone keeps warning me that I have to choose the cosmetic dentist carefully. I would understand that if I were getting dental bonding, which the dentist does himself. But, I’m getting porcelain veneers. Isn’t that sent out to a ceramist to do the work? Why would the dentist matter?

Corrie

Dear Corrie,

You’ve asked a good question. You’re right that cosmetic dentists send the work to a ceramist to do. However, I want you to think about it as a prescription. A doctor examines you, then makes a diagnosis and writes a prescription to help you get better. While you take that prescription to a pharmacy to produce the pills for you, it’s the doctor who mattered. If the doctor writes the wrong prescription or made an incorrect diagnoses you won’t get better. In fact, you could get worse.

It’s similar with cosmetic work. Your dentist designs the smile and writes the equivalent of a prescription. This would include the shade map, the surface texture, and the degree of translucency. In addition, the quality of his impressions, as well as the preparation of your teeth which he does, makes a huge difference.

Smile makeovers aren’t taught in dental school. It’s a skill that requires a great deal of post-doctoral training, as well as an artistic eye. Unfortunately, cosmetic dentistry isn’t a recognized specialty. So how is a patient supposed to know who has the training as well as artistry required?

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

What you would have to do is ask where they received their cosmetic training after dental school, knowing which institutions are reputable. Then you’d ask to see visual evidence of cases the dentist had done personally showing the before as well as the results he achieved.

Fortunately, someone has done that for you. The mynewsmile.com website screens cosmetic dentists who want to be listed on their referral link. No dentist can just pay to be listed. The site, run by an cosmetic dentist, verifies their training and inspects their previous cosmetic cases to make sure they create beautiful work.

If they list a dentist, you can be assured whether you get dental bonding or porcelain veneers, the results will be stunning.

This blog is brought to you by Naperville Cosmetic Dentist Dr. David Newkirk.