Dental Crowns Archives - Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist

Dental Crown Disaster

Posted on November 22, 2023 by writeradmin.

I needed a crown on a front tooth. My dentist suggested a CEREC crown because it could be done in one day, but I’d heard that they don’t look good on front teeth, so I asked for a traditional crown. The temporary crown didn’t really match, but he assured me that the temporary crowns would always be worse than the permanent crowns and when they came in it would be a perfect match. When the crown came in, I never really got to see it before it was bonded in. Once I got to look at it I realized (to my horror) that it didn’t really match the tooth next to it. I mentioned that and he said it “looked fine to him” plus it was already bonded so it couldn’t be removed. Then, a few weeks later the permanent crown, that “couldn’t be removed” fell out. I went back to my dentist suggesting that this would be a good time to improve the appearance. He then said that, “While he could redo it, he would have to charge me for it because I have a functional crown.” Otherwise, he could just bond this back on for free. I was so frustrated. Now it has fallen out again. I’m sure he is going to give me the same choice again. Do you have any recommendations for me?

Greta

Dear Greta,

Porcealin crown being placed on a tooth

The one good thing you have going for you is that the dental crown is not staying in. The dental board considers the standard of care functional. While you, unfortunately, would not have any recourse because the crown does not match your teeth, you do have the right to ask for a refund when it does not stay in. Despite what your dentist said, you do not have a functioning crown if it does not stay in your mouth. That is exactly what I think you should do.

Not only has this dentist shown himself to be unethical in how he misinformed you about the temporary versus permanent crown, he also cannot get the dental crown to stay. Do not allow them to do any more work on you. Instead, tell him you want a complete refund. Your crown is not functional. This is the second time it has fallen out.

When you go to get your crown replaced, I want you to go to an expert cosmetic dentist. Matching a tooth to a front tooth is more challenging than for other teeth because the light hits them directly which reveals all the nuances of the teeth. A truly skilled cosmetic dentist would do a temporary try-in to make sure it perfectly matches the adjacent teeth. If not, they would make notes about what changes need to be made and then send them back to the lab to be redone. He or she would not be satisfied, nor would they bond the crown in, until you are completely satisfied.

My suggestion is that you go to an AACD accredited dentist. These are the top cosemtic dentists in the country. They will give you a gorgeous crown that completely blends in with its adjacent teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

Are Same Day Crowns as Good as Traditional Ones?

Posted on October 24, 2023 by writeradmin.

I need a crown on a front tooth and my dentist is suggesting that I use his new CEREC machine, which will allow me to get my dental crown the same day as my appointment. There is something appealing in that, but I want to make certain that they are just as good as the traditional crowns. This is a front tooth so I don’t want to have something that doesn’t fit right and makes my smile look weird.

Beverly

Dear Beverly,

CEREC crown block

The CEREC machine can produce a well fit crown. However, front teeth are a bit trickier. It’s not tricky to make them fit. The difficult part comes in getting them to look both natural and beautiful. It takes a great deal of artistry.

With CEREC, the crowns are produced from a single block of porcelain. If you look at your front teeth, you will notice that there are many variations to the opacity. Parts of your tooth are lighter and have more translucency than other parts of the teeth. Because CEREC uses a single block of porcelain the results will be uniform, which will make front teeth look rather flat. Your dentist would have to know how to use different types of stains and tints in order to produce the variations needed to look natural.

If your dentist is not a highly skilled cosmetic dentist, I would not use CEREC for a front tooth. In fact, even with tradtional crowns, you need to make certain the dentist uses a temporary try-in paste to make sure the crowns not only look natural and beautiful, but that they blend seamlessly with the remainder of your teeth, especially the adjacent front tooth. It will probably take a few tries to get it perfect.

This is above the skill level of most dentists. I would either look for a dentist who is recommended on the mynewsmile.com website or someone who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. These are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. If it were any other tooth than a front tooth, it would be an easy assignment.

This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.

What You Probably Do Not Know About Dental Crowns

Posted on September 16, 2014 by Travis.

Dental Crowns have certainly come a long way since Charles Land developed the porcelain jacket crown. Although the porcelain jacket crown was patented in 1889, it was not made available to patients until 1903.

The original jacket crowns covered the tooth by, “Jacketing,” it with a porcelain material, and although they were quite popular, there were some issues including micro cracking. These stability issues were not addressed until the late 50s and early 60s when Abraham Weistein invented a stronger structure that attached metal implants to porcelain crowns.

According to Web MD, Dental Crowns are used to restore a worn down or broken tooth and can be used to hold a cracked tooth together. If you have a severely decayed tooth, your dentist may recommend a Dental Crown to support the tooth, especially if a large filling is required and you do not have much of the natural tooth left. Dental Crowns can also be used to cover Dental Implants, hold a bridge in its place or to make dental cosmetic restoration modifications.

Dental Crowns can be manufactured out of several materials including metal alloy, gold, resin, ceramic, porcelain or porcelain fused to metal.

Metal Dental crowns can be made from base metal alloys such as chromium or nickel, or other alloys such as palladium or gold. Compared with other types of Dental Crowns, Metal Dental Crowns do not require as much tooth structure removal. Metal Dental Crowns rarely break or chip and can withstand tremendous force from chewing and biting. The only drawback is the color.

Porcelain Fused to Metal Dental Crowns are matched to your natural adjacent tooth color, but will wear more easily. This type of Dental Crown can also break or chip. Porcelain fused to metal crowns look almost like natural teeth with the exception of the metal that can sometimes show underneath the porcelain, especially if you are dealing with gum recession.

All resin Dental Crowns are more cost effective than other types of Dental Crowns but will eventually wear down and are more apt to break or chip. Resin crowns can be made to match your natural tooth color.

All porcelain or all ceramic Dental Crowns provide the most natural looking dental restoration and are more suitable for patients who suffer from metal allergies. All porcelain or all ceramic crowns are not as strong as porcelain fused to metal Dental Crowns, but can be matched to your natural tooth color and are best for front teeth.

If you would like more information regarding Dental Crowns, schedule an appointment with your dentist, Dr. Michael Weiss, today.