JACKSONVILLE, Fla.-- Christy Comer smiles big now, but her grin took years to shine through. It all started when this second grade school teacher was in elementary school herself. She took an antibiotic that turned her teeth grey. And so, the "half smile" began.
"I was not proud of my smile by any means," said Comer.
Several years ago, Comer wanted to fix her teeth and her general dentist told her he could. Without asking any questions, she had him put on a set of veneers.
"The end result was pretty bad and I didn't really think that anything could be much worse than my natural teeth and they were," said Comer.
After spending thousands of dollars, Comer was stuck with a smile she hated. The half smile continued.
"It was definitely not an improvement. There were gaps between the top of the veneer and the top of my natural teeth and then there was my gum," said Comer.
Cosmetic dentist Colleen Olitsky hears stories like Comer's all the time.
"I hear the word lawsuit a lot and we're always like whoa back up, this isn't a lawsuit, that dentist didn't do anything wrong. You just don't like the way it looks," said Olitsky. "Its still the standard of care, its not wrong. Its still functional. And that's where I'm like, didn't you do any research?"
This Ponte Vedra dentist is tired of seeing people come to her after they've spent tens of thousand of dollars on teeth they don't like. She's writing a book, so she can teach people what to watch out for.
"People are always shocked to hear that a dentist needs no training to be a cosmetic dentist. That word means absolutely nothing," said Olitsky.
Even if your dentist has extra cosmetic training, by Florida law they're not allowed to advertise it. Olitsky says the best step is to start with a conversation and find out your dentist's qualifications. She recommends asking lots of questions, researching your dentist's education, looking at pictures of their work and calling references.
"As a teacher I would say 'do your homework,'" said Comer.
A few years ago, Comer did just that. She found a dentist who fixed her bad veneers.
"I can remember when the last procedure was done and they held that mirror in front of me and I saw these teeth. For the first time I was going to be the girl with the straight, white teeth. I had never been that girl before," said Comer.
That girl is here now and she's smiling big, but it was a long, costly road Comer hopes other can avoid.
What questions can you ask?
Go prepared to your Cosmetic Dentist with a list of questions to help you plan your smile treatment timeline and choose the best options.
You can also use the time to learn more about your cosmetic dentist, their experience, technology, and follow-up process.
- What is their education?
- How much experience do they have?
- Do you have a Before & After photo gallery?
- What are the cosmetic dentistry treatments you offer?
- Which cosmetic dentistry treatments will give me the results I am looking for?
- How long will my restorations last?
- Are you a metal-free dental practice?
- Do you offer sedation dentistry for anxious patients?
- Do you offer affordable financing options? How do I care for my restorations?
- Do you offer neuromuscular dentistry?
- How many visits will my smile makeover take?
- What technology do you use to enhance results and comfort?
- What anesthetic methods are required for my smile makeover?
- Do you and your team attend ongoing training and dental advancement courses?
- What extra steps do you take to enhance the patient experience?
- What makes cosmetic dentistry here better than anywhere else?
- Are you LVI-trained?
- How long have you been performing cosmetic dentistry?
- Do you offer emergency dentistry services?
