The 4 difficulties we encounter during the cosmetic consultation
- The expectation about the number of veneers. The number of dental veneers we may recommend to a client may be different to what they’ve had before. For example, if someone has 4 old porcelain veneers, it’s reasonable for them to assume that 4 new porcelain veneers is what we will recommend. However it’s not always the case, and that can sometimes put someone off! We may suggest to increase the number of dental veneers. Does that mean we are trying to “upsell” someone? Of course not. It might mean that the client’s needs aren’t getting met with just 4 veneers. Or perhaps after our Deep Dive session, the cosmetic dentist may see an opportunity to take the smile to the next level. Every case is different!
- The gums and their relationship with veneers is often overlooked. It’s not uncommon for someone with old porcelain veneers to present with uneven gums, where the height of one tooth doesn’t match the gum height of the other tooth. Quite often the solution is simple and can get fixed with a treatment that we call Gum Architecture. Of course the client may be perplexed by this suggested treatment as they hadn’t been offered it in the past.
- The provision of an Aftercare Guard is lacking. If a client presented with chipped or worn down porcelain veneers, one of the first questions we ask them is whether or not they were advised to wear an Aftercare Guard or an occlusal splint. Quite often the answer we get is either “no” or “I can’t remember”. We provide all of our smile transformations with an Aftercare Guard and provide clear instructions to our clients about how to use it, how often to use it and how to look after it. It’s our non-negotiable. Wearing the Aftercare Guard is what will ensure the dental veneers last as long as possible.
- The expectation about how often the client needs to see the dentist for a dental examination and a professional clean. One of the questions we ask a new client at the consultation is ‘When was the last time you had a dental examination and dental clean?’. Quite often, the answer is a lot longer than what we want to hear. It’s important to understand that getting your teeth (and your dental veneers) looked at by a professional dentist at least twice, if not three times per year, is the standard. Skipping the dental hygiene appointments or thinking you can get away with going to the dentist once per year or once per two years is too risky. What’s worse is only going to the dentist when something bad happens.
In summary, we recommend the following:
- Have an open mind about your smile transformation could look like
- Don’t create expectations in your mind as those expectations will cloud your judgement
- Don’t assume that the number of porcelain veneers you had done in the past will be the same number of dental veneers that you will have done in the future
- When replacing your old porcelain veneers with new ones, think about it as an opportunity to upgrade your entire smile, not just about upgrading the old dental veneers
