Tag Archives: Porcelain Crowns

Dentist Said No to CEREC Crowns

My dentist has a CEREC machine. We’ve used it for a crown before, but on a tooth on my bottom arch. Now I need one on my top front tooth and he’s saying “No”. He said they don’t look good on front teeth. I truly liked the convenience. Plus, he wants to crown both front teeth to make them match. Is this legitimate?

Anna

Dear Anna,

Block of porcelain for CEREC crowns

You should be aware that only the top cosmetic dentists in the world can match a single crown to a front tooth. That is even more challenging when it comes to using CEREC. If convenience is what you’re after, go with the two crowns and traditional crowns. I’ll explain why in a moment. If you want gorgeous front teeth with just one crown, you’ll need to find an expert cosmetic dentist.

Matching a Single Crown to a Front Tooth

Your front teeth are right next to each other and much more exposed to the light. Even the slightest deviations will be very noticeable. It will be quite obvious your teeth won’t match.

With even the best dentists, it will take a few try-ins before it matches perfectly. That could go faster with CEREC crowns because it’s milled right there and not sent to a lab. It will still likely take more than one try. This method will take even more skill.

With a CEREC crown, that’s even harder because they are milled from a single block of porcelain. Traditional porcelain crowns use several blocks with variations in opacity. Your dentist would have to be very versed in color theory skills which are not taught in dental school. It’s obvious your dentist doesn’t have that training.

It’s actually showing his integrity that he’s being honest with you. He could have bluffed his way through and given sad looking results.

Finding the Cosmetic Dentist Who Can Do Gorgeous CEREC Crowns

Truthfully, because of the difficulty of this type of case, to get a beautiful, natural looking result which will match your other front tooth, you’ll need to go to a dentist accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

AACD accredited dentists have gone through stringent oral and written exams as well as proven their artistry with a large number of cases they’ve done and provided evidence for. All of them have gone through extensive training in advanced cosmetic procedures after graduating dental school.

What it boils down to in this particular case is what’s more important to you— a convenient, fast result, or a natural looking attractive result.

It is definitely your smile and your choice. Don’t feel pressured to go a way you don’t want.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Should I Have Gone to a Cosmetic Dentist for a Root Canal?

Both my sister and I received root canals within the last year. My dentist put a crown on mine, which meant filing down the tooth to a nub. It’s not that attractive either. It’s toward the back so isn’t completely visible but it still bothers me. My sister sees a cosmetic dentist. When he did her root canal, he put a porcelain veneer on hers. It looks so much nicer than mine and she hardly had any of her tooth structure removed. Did I make a mistake not going to a cosmetic dentist?

Betty

Dear Betty,

Porcelain crown on left and porcelain veneer on right

You should know there isn’t a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, which means every cosmetic dentist is just a general dentist who prefers to also do cosmetic work. However, before we get into choosing a dentist to do cosmetic work, let’s talk about a root canal restoration.

Whether or not you get a dental crown or a porcelain veneer restoration depends on a few things. First, the location. If it’s a back tooth, a crown is more important. After a root canal, a tooth becomes more brittle. The crown will protect it from the biting forces which affect your back teeth.

If it’s on the front teeth, you may have a choice. Most of the time crowns are done because there was so much decay on the tooth there is not enough structure left for anything but a crown. However, if the tooth needed treatment because of trauma and is still fully intact, then you could get a porcelain veneer. This is more effective because of the type of forces your front teeth undergo.

However, you’re talking about getting a porcelain veneer on a single front tooth. This requires a cosmetic dentist with superior aesthetic skills.

When You Need a Skilled Cosmetic Dentist

Most of the skills required to do a beautiful smile makeover are not taught in dental school. The dentist has to invest post-doctoral time in learning the skills required. However, there is an aspect that can’t be taught— an artistic eye.

Like any art form, there are different skill levels. So, how do you find the right dentist? The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry realized the quandary patients found themselves in. To remedy that, they began an accreditation program.

To become accredited, dentists have to pass stringent oral and written exams. Additionally, they have to provide evidence of a list of cases they’ve done showing they can give beautiful results. Any AACD accredited dentist can give you a gorgeous smile makeover. They can also match a single porcelain veneer to the rest of your teeth.

If you’re ever in the need or porcelain veneers, make sure you go to aacd.com and find an accredited dentist in your area.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Cosmetic Dentistry Disaster

My dental bonding for a chipped tooth needed to be replaced. I had a new dentist who suggested I get porcelain veneers instead. He’d do four so they could match. Then, when he saw one of them had a cavity, he said I’d need crowns. So, now I have four crowns on my very front teeth and even though he said he had to do four in order for them to match, the two very front teeth look a weird grayish color. What do I do?

Valerie

Dear Valerie,

Porcelain Veneer being placed on a tooth

There are so many things which went wrong here I hardly know where to start. First, any dentist who says you have to do more than one crown or veneer is not a qualified cosmetic dentist. Yes, it takes skill and artistry to match a single front tooth, but isn’t that what you’re paying them for when it comes to remaking a smile—skill and artistry?

Second, you can still have porcelain veneers bonded to a tooth which has a cavity as long as that cavity isn’t so large that it would require a crown under normal circumstances. That would have prevented you from having to grind down healthy tooth structure.

Sadly, the only way to do this is to have the two front teeth re-done. Hopefully, he’s the type of dentist who cares about the quality of his work and will be willing to replace the crowns free of charge.

However, that’s not enough. You need to make sure he’s willing to get a professional try in the paste. These are clear enough to show the color of the underlying teeth on them, giving you a clearer picture of what the crowns will look like once they’re permanently bonded. Then, he needs to let you try them in and get a good look them in several types of lighting and you’ll approve them before they’re bonded.

If he’s not willing to do that, you aren’t likely to get any better results. In that case, it’s in your best interest to find an expert cosmetic dentist.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentists

Unfortunately, now that you’ve had crowns placed, you have to replace them with that forever. However, a skilled cosmetic dentist can give you gorgeous porcelain crowns. There are two places you can look to find a qualified cosmetic dentist in a reasonable distance from you. The first is at AACD.com. Do a search for an accredited cosmetic dentist. You need to check that you want them to be accredited and not just a member. There’s a difference.

The second is mynewsmile.com. This site only lists artistic and skilled cosmetic dentists who can give you a beautiful smile. You’ll be safe with anyone on their list or anyone who’s been accredited.

Best of luck to you.
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Crowns for Tetracycline Stains

I’ve consulted with two dentists in my desire to improve my smile. I’ve got tetracycline stains which have embarrassed me for years. I’ve spoken to two dentists. One suggested porcelain crowns. The other suggested I get porcelain veneers. Is one a better treatment than the others?

Ariana

Dear Ariana,

Brunette woman with beautiful smile
Beautiful smiles require great dentists!

It’s great that you’re doing your due diligence. To help with this, I want to shift the way you’re approaching this just a bit. While I do have a treatment that I think is better than this and will tell you which it is, the more important decision is what type of dentist do you need.

Tetracycline stains are among the most difficult type of cosmetic issues to treat. Whichever procedure you decide on has to be opaque enough to cover the stains and translucent enough to be beautiful. It takes a truly skilled cosmetic dentist with an artistic eye to create the type of smile you’ll want.

As for the procedure, porcelain crowns can be made to be beautiful. But, it’s quite aggressive. You’re removing healthy tooth structure for no reason. From then on you’ll be stuck with crowns. You can never go back. The only dentist that would recommend crowns for a smile makeover is one who’s not comfortable placing porcelain veneers. That alone tells me he’s not a skilled cosmetic dentist. You should pass.

Now just because the other dentist picked porcelain veneers, doesn’t mean he’s a skilled cosmetic dentist. You’re going to have to check.

Finding a Skilled and Artistic Cosmetic Dentist

It’s almost impossible for a patient to distinguish the skill of one cosmetic dentist from another without doing hours of research. Fortunately, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) does that for you. They have an accreditation program that helps patients to know what dentists can offer a beautiful smile guarantee and really provide it.

I’m going to suggest you go to aacd.com and look up accredited dentists in your area. If you don’t have one in your immediate area, it is truly worth it to travel a bit for the smile of your dreams.

This blog is brought to you by Louisiana Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Solutions for Tetracycline Stains

My twin sister and I both have tetracycline stains from some medicine we took when we were young. She decided to get something done about them. I kind of wanted to wait until I saw how hers turned out. She went to her family dentist. He crowned all her upper teeth and whitened the bottom teeth. He told her the bottom teeth wouldn’t look exactly like the top because tetracycline stains are hard to whiten. We were prepared for that. The crowns took him a couple of tries before he got something my sister was happy with. Though she likes them, I’m not too thrilled with them. To me, they’re so opaque they look like the porcelain you’d find in a bathtub. Is there a way to get it more natural looking? Yes, I know it’s still better than my teeth, but I’m wondering if a different dentist could have done a better job.

Morgan L.

Dear Morgan,

Porcelain Veneer being placed on a tooth
It takes an expert cosmetic dentist to treat tetracycline stains beautifully.

It takes an expert cosmetic dentist to create a beautiful solution for tetracycline stains. Most cosmetic dentists don’t have the technical skill and artistry necessary. It is among the most challenging of cosmetic cases. Because the tetracycline stains show through tooth structure, both natural and manmade, most cosmetic dentists go too far the other way, as your sister’s dentist did. They make them so opaque to cover the brown of the stains, their teeth end up looking like bathroom porcelain.

That doesn’t mean your case will have to turn out that way. In fact, I’m sad to say, those dentists who are highly skilled in their field spend a great deal of their time fixing subpar cosmetic procedures other dentists have done. We’ve had patients come to us from other offices in tears begging Dr. Malone to fix their smile.

I’m curious as to why your sister’s dentist used crowns on all her teeth. Did she have issues on them which required crowns? I don’t understand why he’d remove so much tooth structure if her teeth were otherwise healthy. Generally, I’d use porcelain veneers to cover tetracycline stains. This only requires mild shaving on the front of the tooth.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

Even if there were a recognized specialty in cosmetic dentistry, every dentist’s skill level and artistic eye vary. How in the world is a patient to know if one cosmetic dentist is better than another? Would you even know what to ask if you had an opportunity to interview the dentist ahead of time? Of course not!

This is exactly why the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) formed. They wanted patients to have a resource where they could find expert cosmetic dentists. Any cosmetic dentist can join as a member, however, they have an accreditation program.

If a dentist is AACD accredited, they’re in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the country. They’ve passed stringent exams, both oral and physical. They’ve also had to demonstrate their artistic ability by giving examples of a large number of specific cases they’ve personally performed.

I’d go to their website and look up which AACD accredited dentists are near to your area. It’s worth it to travel just a little if you need to.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

How Do I Purchase Invisalign For a Christmas Gift?

I want to get my wife a mini smile makeover for Christmas including Invisalign and teeth whitening (if I have enough for both). Unfortunately, I’m having trouble getting my dentist to agree to let me pre-purchase. He says she has to come in for an exam first to see what it will entail. If I ABSOLUTELY had to, I will but I’d hate to ruin the surprise. I like seeing people’s eyes light up when they open something. She doesn’t even realize I know she wants them. Is there a way to get them without her finding out ahead of time?

Marvin G.

A woman placing in her Invisalign aligners

It sounds like you’re a thoughtful and attentive husband. I love that you noticed something your wife had on her heart without her telling you. I bet we can find a way for you to surprise your wife, but I’ll explain what your dentist is likely thinking.

It’s hard to totally pre-purchase Invisalign because so many things factor into the cost. In addition to the possibility she not a good candidate, the price is determined by the amount and type of movement needed, the number of aligners required, etc.. All of that will factor into the payment. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t get it ahead of time.

I’d suggest to your dentist you make an estimated pre-payment and then if it turns out she’s not actually a good candidate, you can get a refund. If he’s still resistant, you could just make up a beautiful “announcement” using a free graphic design program, like Canva, and put that under the tree for her. Then, after Christmas, she could head to the dentist’s.

Invisalign and Teeth Whitening

It shouldn’t be too hard to pay for both the Invisalign and teeth whitening. Most dentists will allow you to use the Invisalign aligners as teeth whitening trays. That actually ends up saving you money in the long run.

There is something to be aware of with the limitations of teeth whitening. If she has any other dental work, such as fillings or dental crowns, they won’t whiten with her teeth. The whitening gel only works on natural tooth structure. That doesn’t mean she can’t have it done. But, once she’s attained the level of whitening she wants, you can have them re-made to match. Today, with white fillings, it’s very easy to get dental work to match whatever shade you need, as long as you have a qualified dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Why Does an Overbite Prevent Me From Getting Porcelain Veneers?

Can you help me understand something? I really wanted to have porcelain veneers placed, but my dentist said because I have an overbite, I’d have to get crowns. He wants to place six porcelain crowns on my front teeth. Is there another option? Also, if I go with the crowns, do I whiten my bottom teeth? Both arches have tetracycline stains.

Amanda L.

Dear Amanda,

Lafayette Porcelain Veneers

I’m very glad you wrote before moving forward with this procedure. It sounds like you went to your family dentist instead of someone with expertise in cosmetic work, and he’s not as comfortable with doing advanced cosmetic procedures. Rather than admit that, he came up with a rather creative (though completely untrue) excuse for why you can’t have it. Then recommended porcelain crowns because he is comfortable doing that.

Porcelain veneers are actually a better solution for an overbite. Crowns have to grind down your teeth. Porcelain veneers do not. Why would you want to grind down healthy tooth structure?

In fact, the two pictures below will demonstrate the difference in preparing for the two procedures.

Lafayette Porcelain Veneers
Tooth Preparation for Porcelain Veneers
porcelain crown prep
Preparation for a Porcelain Crown

As you can see, you save much more tooth structure with porcelain veneers.

Another thing to consider is the number of crowns he said to get because it’s equally applicable to porcelain veneers. Six is not enough. Most smiles show between eight and ten teeth. Some wider smile show even more. Take a close look at your teeth when you’re smiling broadly. How many are visible? You want each visible tooth covered.

So, who should you have do this smile makeover? Your particular case is especially advanced. Tetracycline stains are among the most difficult to deal with. You need an expert cosmetic dentist. In your position, I’d look for a dentist who’s accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (aacd.org). Bear in mind accreditation is very different from membership. Any dentist can be a member. Accreditation requires a great deal of knowledge, skill, and artistry.

Your bottom arch can be whitened. Traditionally, teeth whitening isn’t the ideal for tetracycline stains, but if your dentist uses KöR Whitening, you should get decent results.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

What’s a Better Cosmetic Procedure: Crowns or Veneers?

I want to improve my smile. I went to my dentist to discuss getting porcelain veneers. He said they’re not as good as everyone makes out and I’d get a better smile with porcelain crowns. I’m a little worried about that idea because I’d lose so much tooth structure. But, if they’re better I guess I should go for it. What do you think?

Emma T.

Dear Emma,

A gorgeous smile created by cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone
A gorgeous smile created by cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone

If you want a gorgeous smile, what matters more than the material is the cosmetic dentist you have do the procedure. However, that being said, I can tell you right now your dentist isn’t the right one because of the material he’s trying to talk you into.

Porcelain veneers are as good as they say…when the right dentist does it. Your dentist is probably suggesting crowns because he doesn’t have enough experience with porcelain veneers. He doesn’t want to admit that so he suggests a procedure he is good with, porcelain crowns. But, you’re right to be concerned. Why would you want to grind down perfectly healthy tooth structure? Porcelain veneers don’t do that. They only require mild tooth preparation.

How Do You Choose a Cosmetic Dentist?

The easiest way to choose a cosmetic dentist is through the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). They have an accreditation program. Dentists who reach accreditation level are among the top cosmetic dentists in the world. They have to pass stringent oral and written exams as well as demonstrate their artistic abilities and quite a few cases they’ve done on patients. They’ll certainly give you a gorgeous smile. In fact, most of them have a beautiful smile guarantee.

What if there’s not an accredited dentist near you? Not having someone who’s reached accreditation level in your area doesn’t mean you can find a highly skilled cosmetic dentist. Some dentists are in the process are obtaining accreditation but already give gorgeous smiles. I’d check the mynewsmile.com website. They recommend highly skilled and artistic cosmetic dentists only some of which have already passed the accreditation exams.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Mike Malone.

Why doesn’t my CEREC crown match?

I’ve had crowns placed before and they’ve always matched my teeth.  My new dentist uses something called CEREC crowns. When he placed it, it doesn’t match. Is that an issue with CEREC crowns.  He said it’s made of porcelain. Is that why it’s much whiter than my other teeth?

Sammie M. – Dayton, OH

Sammie,

It’s not that you’ve got a CEREC crown that is causing it not to match. It’s more that your dentist didn’t match them.  Porcelain can be made to any color your dentist needed, so the material isn’t the problem either.

You have a few options. One is to leave it as is. But, if you wanted that you wouldn’t have been writing me in the first place.  The next is to have the rest of your teeth whitened to match the whiter CEREC crown. The problem with that will be your toher crowns.  Teeth whitening only works on natural teeth, so your crowns will not whiten.  You would have to have them re-done to match your new crown as well.

Your final option is to see if your dentist would be willing to re-do the crown to better match your current natural color.

I realize none of these options are that great. It’s important that when it comes to any type of cosmetics you go to a dentist who not only has the technical skill, but an artistic eye to match your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

I think my gum is infected, but my dentist said it is normal

I’m a little worried that my gum is infected. There is a dark line on the edge of it. I went to see my dentist, but he said that is normal when you have a crown and it is nothing to worry about.  I can’t help but worrying.  I can’t imagine that my gum being dark is normal.

Ginny D. – New Hampshire

Ginny,

I suspect that your dentist gave you porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.  Those often develop a dark line at the gum line.  While your dentist is right that it is not an infection, that doesn’t mean you want a gray line visible every time you smile.

Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of it is to get new crowns.  Be sure not to get the porcelain fused to metal crowns again.  What you’ll want is to get an artistic cosmetic dentist to give you all porcelain crowns. You’ll find that not only will you not have to worry about any gray line turning up at your gumline, but you’ll have crowns that look much more natural than I suspect the ones you currently have do.

This blog is brought to you by Lafayette LA Dentist Dr. Mike Malone.