I have a situation. I spent a ton of money getting Lumineers on my top six teeth. When I first went in, I told this dentist that I have had two dental bonding procedures done on my teeth that has made them look a bit bulky and I’d like that to be corrected with my Lumineers. The dentist assured me the Lumineers people knew exactly what they were doing. They did provide an image of what my smile would look like when they were completed and I was really excited about that. However, the result turned out nothing like expected. The closest I can explain it is saying I now have horse teeth. They are bulky and I have a huge overbite. My top teeth actually come out to the middle of my lower lip. They told me my muscles would adjust. I’ve been in tears since they bonded it. Is there any way to get my money back?

Catherine

Dear Catherine,

I cringed when I read your dentist’s comment that the Lumineers people will know exactly what to do. There are two things wrong with that statement. First, it is the dentist who is supposed to know exactly what to do and give the laboratory specific instructions. Think about it like a doctor writing a prescription and the pharmacy filling that prescription. If the doctor writes the wrong prescription, there is no way for the pharmacist to know that. They can only do what they’ve been told. Second, the laboratory that does Lumineers’ work is not known for its beautiful results.

Getting a refund, however, could be tricky. Because cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty, which means it is judged by the standards of general dentistry. That means to get a refund, it doesn’t matter what the results look like, but rather whether or not the smile is functional. If it is, all you can do is appeal to your dentist’s sense of pride in his or her work. If that doesn’t matter to them, I would tell them you’ll be posting a review about how they don’t care whether their “smile makeovers” are attractive or even feel comfortable in or mouth.

I’m sorry for what you went through.
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