Tag Archives: how white can a smile get

dentist didn’t get my color right

I went to get a smile makeover with porcelain veneers. I wanted a very white smile and was very clear with my dentist about that . In fact, I told him I wanted one of those super white Hollywood smiles. I heard him tell his assistant to make it an A1. I assumed that meant the whitest possible. I remember that specifically because my husband loves A1 steak sauce and I thought, he’d love his steak and I’d love my teeth. I know differently now that isn’t what he should have ordered. When the smile came back, the shape and size were fine, but I was disappointed in the color. I went home and did some research, because I felt sure he ordered the whitest. I thought maybe he didn’t remember that and the lab got it wrong. I’ve since found out that he should have ordered a BL 1. I went back and asked him about it. He said he ordered a BL 1 so that’s what I have. I’ve looked at pictures. What I have is an A1. I don’t know what to do. I feel like he’s just lying. Can this be fixed?

Paula

Dear Paula,

bleached tooth shade guide

First, I’m going to say I am super impressed with your research capabilities. There are a number of dentists who haven’t figured out what you have, as you’ve discovered with your current dentist.

You’ve also pretty much figured out that he is lying, though I know it pains you to think that of your medical practitioner. You could call him on it and ask to see the order he sent to the lab. I doubt he’ll give it to you. If he does and it doesn’t say what you very specifically remember, you can know he doctored it. Getting a copy from the lab should confirm that and things will not go very well for him.

A true cosmetic dentist would never be satisfied if his patient wasn’t. He would make the changes without hesitation. Your dentist may be decent, as you said he managed to get the shape and size correct, but he obviously is failing in his color theory.

The shades you see above didn’t use to exist. Dentists had A1 as the whitest shade. However, as teeth whitening became more popular in the 1990s, manufacturers realized they had to update their guides, hence the bleaching attachment.

In your place, I’d just tell your dentist you aren’t satisfied and ask him to re-do the porcelain veneers with the color you requested. You didn’t get the smile you paid for.

If he gives you a hard time, go to the mynewsmile.com website and find one of their recommended dentists in your area. Often a quick call from a peer will change their tune.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.