Dr. Hall,
I had bonding placed on my 6 front top teeth for whitening purposes. Since then it has chipped off. I relocated to South Carolina and went to a dentist here. He told me that my teeth are stained inside and that I either needed internal bleaching or porcelain crowns. What options do I have?
– Deanna from South Carolina
Deanna,
I get so aggravated hearing of situations like yours. This sounds to me like a dentist who doesn’t know what he or she is talking about, and I strongly suggest getting a second opinion from an expert cosmetic dentist. I’m on a plane answering this question, so I don’t have access to any maps, but hopefully Summerville is near one of the cosmetic dentists we recommend in South Carolina. Even if it isn’t, it would be worth several hours’ drive to get this done right.
Maybe I don’t fully understand your situation. Do you have root canal treatments on your front teeth? From what you’re telling me, the only problem is the color. If that is true, crowns are overkill, and internal bleaching isn’t possible. I don’t understand where this dentist gets this idea. For crowns, your front teeth have to be ground down to stubs. And if this dentist knows as little about cosmetic dentistry as your e-mail makes it sound, I have grave concerns about how these crowns would look when he or she is done with you. Don’t let him or her grind your teeth down.
And six teeth aren’t a smile. Don’t be surprised if a real cosmetic dentist suggests doing eight or ten teeth. When the teeth are dark and the front six teeth are made considerably lighter, the result looks really weird.
Depending on what your teeth look like, the amount of discoloration, and their general health, you either need simple teeth bleaching or conservative porcelain veneers bonded onto the fronts of your front eight or ten teeth. Anything more is overtreatment.
Good luck.
Dr. Hall
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.
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