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Advanced cosmetic and general dentistry

My porcelain crowns don’t match my natural teeth

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Last October I got 3 porcelain crowns for upper teeth in the front of my mouth. One of the crowns matches the color of my natural teeth but the other 2 don’t match. Twice my dentist attempted to make the color match. He keeps saying the lab didn’t get it right. Through the whole process I have not pretended to be pleased, so with my last visit he said that he could try it again or if I want to leave the teeth as they are, he will give me a discount. 3 attempts? I have no confidence in his ability to get the match correct. I am disappointed and frustrated. What next? – Jane H.

Jane – Unfortunately, your experience shows how different an outcome can be, depending on the dentist who does the work. An artistically inclined cosmetic dentist beautifully restores teeth with porcelain crowns.

Although your dentist says attributes the color-match issue to the laboratory, it is the dentist who supplies the technician with notes and instructions to create your dental crowns. Color-match photography is available to take a color-accurate photograph of your teeth. The photograph can be sent to the technician, along with the dentist’s notes to get an accurate match.

You must decide whether or not you want your dentist to try the color match again. You have the option of making an appointment with a skilled and credentialed cosmetic dentist who can provide you with crowns to perfectly match the color and translucency of your natural teeth.

Since your dentist offered a discount because you are displeased with the work, perhaps he will be willing to provide you with some sort of compensation if you decide to let a cosmetic dentist do the work.

This post is sponsored by Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Can a broken tooth in my bridge be fixed?

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My eight upper front teeth have a bridge. I am trying not to get overly anxious about this, but I just moved from Maine and I don’t have a dentist yet. The second from my left front tooth chipped. Can it be fixed without having to re-do the entire bridge?

The same techniques that repair a porcelain crown can be used to repair the broken tooth in your bridge.

The chipped porcelain must be cleaned and prepared for bonding. If the bridge is porcelain fused to metal, it will then be rinsed and carefully etched with hydrofluoric acid or with a microetcher that is used to blast fine aluminum oxide particles.

The porcelain will be primed with a silane coupling agent and coated with bonding resin. A metal bonding agent and an opaquer will be used to treat any exposed metal. Composite resins that are translucent and that can be highly polished will be layered to match the properties of the porcelain.

You will need to take care of the composite repair. Extensive alcohol consumption softens composite, and smoking and extensive coffee drinking tend to stain it.

We recommend that you find an expert cosmetic dentist to repair the tooth. He or she will have the necessary material and equipment to properly repair and bridge. You won’t be able to tell that the tooth was broken.

The blog post is sponsored by Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

My permanent teeth are too small

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My permanent teeth are embarrassingly small. I am 38 years old, but my teeth are the size of a 7 year old child’s teeth. I am a corporate banking professional, and I am frequently giving presentations at our branches. I feel very self conscious when I smile. What can be done to make my teeth look the size of adult teeth? Thanks in advance for your help. – Michaela T.

Michaela – Your concern about the size of your permanent teeth and the embarrassment that your teeth causes is understandable. Genetics or the environment can cause teeth to develop incorrectly.

There are two permanent procedures for which you might be a candidate—porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers.

A porcelain crown requires the natural tooth to be shaved down. The crown is placed over the natural tooth and it completely covers the tooth. A cosmetic dentist will make crowns that look like your natural teeth.

Porcelain veneers cover only the front of the teeth. Usually, teeth are lightly shaved before the veneers are placed. Veneers from a cosmetic dentist will have the color and translucency of natural teeth. They will give you a beautiful smile makeover.

You can schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist to find out your options and to get the best results. Cosmetic dentists are dental artists. Find one who has been specifically trained in cosmetic dentistry. You also can check the dentist’s credentials and his or her smile gallery for pictures of smile makeovers that the dentist has completed.

The blog post is courtesy of Lowell cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.