Taking a bite out of cosmetic dentistry
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Video By JEFF STOKOE/Advocate staff
Updated: August 04, 2010 8:24 AM
A Red Deer dentist says cosmetic dentists are pushing their clients into “smilorexia.”
Red Deer dentist Michael Zuk says some dentists are encouraging their patients to get pricey veneers — porcelain covers that go over teeth for a Hollywood smile — when they aren’t always necessary.
In his new book Confessions of a Former Cosmetic Dentist, Zuk refers to some dentists as “Veneer Nazis,” saying they take advantage of the public’s desire for “perfect teeth.” The book took about a year for Zuk to complete and it is available through the Amazon and Barnes & Noble websites.
“There are people who are obsessed with having perfect teeth,” Zuk said. “They simply will go to all extremes to get what they think is perfect when in reality there is no such thing as a perfect smile.”
Zuk points to celebrities like Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and even Richard Gere who have far from perfect teeth and suggests that rather than immediately getting veneers, people should look at orthodontics, reshaping the gums, whitening and bonding.
It takes three to four hours to shape the teeth and have veneers put on, with it often costing between $1,000 to $2,000 a tooth. The process entails drilling into the tooth and shaping it in one session and then placing the veneer in another. The process is irreversible.
Zuk said once someone gets porcelain veneers, they will need replace them every seven to 10 years and it can become a vicious cycle. The Red Deer dentist, who works out of the Bower Place Shopping Centre, has close to 25 years of experience.
Zuk still puts veneers on some people’s teeth but only does so selectively.
“I’m trying to educate the public that this idea of extreme makeovers is usually over treatment and usually you can do a lot less and have a good looking smile,” Zuk said.
Benoit Soucy, the director of clinical and scientific affairs with the Canadian Dental Association, said no matter what sort of procedure someone chooses, they need to have a good reason to do it. Soucy said whenever someone decides to get veneers, a crown or even have a cavity fixed, it will mean having to drill into the tooth and there will be a cost attached.
“The biggest problem is that there are no restorations we can make that will last a lifetime and that can be guaranteed to last any specific amount of time,” said Soucy, on the phone from Ottawa. “So if you have the restoration done — no matter what type — you will more than likely have to have it redone at some point. That is the first concern and it is something you will want to keep in mind.”
Soucy said people should take the time to talk to their dentists and make sure they understand what their options are, what the lifetime of the treatment might be and what future costs they might encounter so they can make an informed decision.
sobrien@reddeeradvocate.com
