Question:

My dentist told me that most porcelain veneers are made by the same labs and that talk of different quality is just sales talk. Is this true? Are there labs that are better than other labs?

Answer:

You dentist is so wrong that it is scary. Probably 99% of all cosmetic dentists send their work to a dental lab and never see the porcelain veneers until they are finished and delivered into their office. The problem is the porcelain veneers are made without any customization by the dentist therefore all decisions that could make a world of difference for the patient are made by the lab. The dental lab has never seen the patient and has no idea. The porcelain veneers made without dentist supervision tend to be fake looking, thick, lack surface texture, are poorly proportioned, lack translucency or have too much translucency for the color of the teeth. All of this is normal for most cosmetic dentists as they totally rely on the lab to produce porcelain veneers without any customized guidance by the dentist. The result by the dental lab is limited if the knowledge and skill of the cosmetic dentist is limited.

My opinion is there is a huge difference between dental labs and an even bigger difference between dentists.

I have found over the last 30 years that the dentist must personally work on each porcelain veneer personally in order to maintain quality. I have developed a system of photography that includes over 40 images and diagnostic model measuring that helps me develop customization and create individualized quality that is unsurpassed from multiple facial angles. I personally work on every patient’s porcelain veneers before the final glaze is fired which permits me to insure the best shape, surface texture, size proportioning, veneer angling, surface contour, color and overall quality that is ideal for my patients. Over the years, I have worked with multiple dental labs that are the biggest and best in the industry and still personally work on every single case before the lab finishes their work. The ability of the lab is limited if the cosmetic dentist’s ability is limited. Every patient has different needs and there are so many ways the porcelain veneers could be better if the cosmetic dentist could only recognize it when he or she is looking at the patient.

How to Pick a Cosmetic Dentist?

I am honored that such a large number of my patients have signed model release forms (without payment) that gave me permission to show their entire face on the Hightech Dentistry Gallery. It is the ultimate testimonial. I highly recommend that you compare before and after photos of potential cosmetic dentists work and make sure the expressions and smiles are matched. Also, look at the close-up photos too. Find the best cosmetic dentist possible and make sure they have the photos to prove they are competent.