Dr. Hall,
If you’re an adult with baby sized teeth. Can tooth bonding make them Adult size? If so, what is an estimate price for enlarging 4 teeth and closing a Gap?
Tiffany from California
Tiffany,
The best solution for making small teeth larger would be porcelain veneers. While dental bonding could be used, that’s not the best solution, and I’ll explain why.
The dental bonding material is relatively soft, compared to, say, tooth enamel, which is very hard. It will feel hard to the touch, but it is susceptible to scratching, and it can also absorb stains. So it won’t look that good for very long. Porcelain, however, is even harder than tooth enamel and less susceptible to staining. So what you would have with dental bonding would be a smile that would look really great for a year or two and then it would start to look dull and stained. But with porcelain veneers, with proper care they will stay shiny and bright for 10, 15, 20 years or more. Dental bonding can be less expensive – done well it may cost maybe 2/3 of what porcelain veneers would cost. But by the time you replace it or resurface it 4 or 5 times it ends up being considerably more expensive.
For a beautiful job, expect to pay $1000 to $2000 per tooth, maybe a little more on the higher end where you are in southern California.
And be very careful where you go for your porcelain veneers and absolutely do not try to look for bargains here. While many dentists claim to be able to place porcelain veneers, only about one in fifty is artistic enough to do a good job with them. If the procedure is too expensive for you, the best choice would be to do nothing. Your own natural, small teeth will look better than a poorly done set of porcelain veneers. But if you go ahead and get veneers and then don’t like how the final result looks, you will have no legal recourse. Look for our cosmetic dentistry horror stories section to read more, if you’re not convinced.
Dr. Hall
Links: Look for more blog posts about cosmetic dentistry horror stories.
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.