Rebecca’s Story
At Rebecca’s first appointment with Dr. Kelley Mingus, he made a discovery that shocked her. She had been grinding her teeth so frequently an extra bone grew in a place it shouldn’t have under her tongue. Rebecca knew she was grinding her teeth, but didn’t realize the severity of it. Clenching and grinding can actually alter the mouth’s bone structure, resulting in a slew of complications.
“No one ever told me this before,” Rebecca thought.
Her teeth had also become noticeably shorter. The enamel was wearing thin and the thought of her teeth deteriorating even more over time worried her. She had just given birth to her son and wanted more than anything for him to have a healthy and happy mom.
“They definitely spent a lot of time explaining to me, in layman’s terms, trying to make sure it wasn’t too technical or medical and was accessible to me, and they didn’t pressure me,” she said. And I think that was really refreshing. They weren’t trying to just sell me on a procedure. They were just recommending what they thought was best and let me make my decision from there.”
After going through her options with Dr. Mingus and talking it over with her husband, Rebecca opted for a full set of porcelain veneers. The plan was to heal her bite and stop the grinding for good, while giving her a beautiful smile at the same time.
“I was unsure at first just because I never pictured myself being someone who would get veneers, she said. I was like, I don’t know anyone who’s done that. And then come to find out later I do and it’s just more common than I realized— they just look better than I thought they did and more natural.”
During her smile makeover process, Rebecca was surprised (in a good way this time) by how the dental practice functioned like a family. Her son got to be part of the transformation too, making several guest appearances in the office.
“It doesn’t feel like going into a doctor’s office where they don’t remember you, she said. The warmth and the amount of thought that his office put into every step of the way, as well as the skill that was exhibited made me feel very confident that they knew what they were doing.”
Rebecca now has a well-functioning bite and beaming smile she is proud of.
“I definitely find myself smiling more and smiling bigger,” she said. I want my son to see his mom be happy. And we mirror each other’s facial expressions, and he’s learning about emotions. I want him to see his mom happy and smiling a lot, projecting that happiness so that he can feel that warmth of having a good childhood.”
Rebecca and her friends are amazed at how natural her new smile looks with veneers. The concierge at Dr. Mingus’ practice saw a boost in Rebecca’s confidence, describing her as “radiant” and “glowing.”
“It feels great to get compliments on my smile,” she said. I had a friend recently tell me she is jealous of my teeth. I don’t think a lot of people meeting me for the first time can tell. They just think, ‘Oh, she has nice teeth.’ But people who have known me for a long time definitely have commented and talked about how nice my teeth look.”
What advice does Rebecca have for someone looking into refreshing their smile with veneers?
“I would recommend (veneers) wholeheartedly and working with Kelley because for me, it was a great experience,” she said.