10:28 AM CST on Tuesday, November 15, 2005

By Jeff McShan / 11 News

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If you've been in a dentist's chair lately, you are not alone.

The American Dental Society estimates that $70.3 billion is spent every year by people who go to the dentist.

Nearly half of that isn't even for filling cavities or having your teeth cleaned, but solely for cosmetic procedures.

As much as $35 billion goes toward making smiles even better.

The total body makeover craze has exploded in America.

If you're planning on having work done on your smile, even though there are a number of good dentists from which to choose, there are many that are not.

Paula Stiles went to see a dentist about a bright smile. The result was that she was talked into several extremely expensive cosmetic procedures that included grinding down her teeth and replacing them with veneers.

Days later, she said her teeth became infected.

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Paula Stiles may lose her teeth after going in to have them brightened.

"It was very progressive and I would have never done that to my teeth. I would have never allowed that had I known it was going to be that aggressive. Basically, it led to the destruction of my teeth," said patient Paula Stiles.

I have had nine root canals to date and it's possible that I may have to have more. At least five of those teeth were virgin teeth, and that's just irresponsible to me. That was uncalled for," said Stiles.

Now Stiles and her daughter, who says she is also having problems, will have to pay again.

"Well, immediately I noticed that my smile wasn't natural, that I had one tooth longer than the other," said her daughter Mindy.

They are not alone.

The American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry said $10 billion of that $35 billion spent by consumers for better looking smiles is used to repair other dentists' shoddy work.

Dr. Douglas Terry has been practicing for 27 years.

"It's pretty alarming when someone is spending $10 billion just trying to correct the problem caused by cosmetic dentistry. These procedures are very easily done by skilled clinicians. We see numerous patients on a weekly basis that come in and have to spend that money again," said Dr. Terry.

He has written a book, hundreds of articles and taught classes around the world on the subject. He said many of the so-called bad doctors are just trying to make a quick buck. Some even lack experience.

Dr. Terry says you should do your research.

"If you go to an office and they want to rush to treatment or sign you up the first day or give you a discount, these might be things that would put a red flag up for you. Wait and get a second opinion or a third opinion," said Dr. Terry.

Dozens of patients have complained to the Houston Better Business Bureau.

The BBB says it used to turn those complaints over to the state dental board, which is mostly dentists and is supposed to regulate its own.

But the BBB's Dan Parsons says more often than not the state doesn't take action.

The Texas Dental Board in Austin, we wonder who is watching the shop. There is big cavity, if you will, in the enforcement picture there against dentists who do wrong. We have seen it for years and years. There was even a point where we stopped handling complaints," Parsons said.

Parsons said the BBB often tells people with alleged problems to hire a lawyer.

Dr. Mark Connelly has been practicing dentistry and teaching students for more than 40 years.

"I certainly hope that things will improve because that is the mission of the State Board, to protect the public. From what I have seen in the last couple of years, the public needs a lot of protection in this area," Dr. Connelly said.

Without help, some consumers will continue to pay now and later.

"I had one recently where the lady had taken her house and sold her home and she had spent a large portion of that for dental treatment and now it all has to be redone," Dr. Terry said.

A great big natural smile can be yours, but apparently only after you get second and third opinions.