crowns on front teeth Archives

My two front teeth needed crowns. So the dentist took a lot of time trying to match the crowns up to blend in with the teeth immediately around them. So he was super cautious asking me for my input throughout the process and we both agreed they looked great during the try-on portion of the appointment. But when he cemented them in, I was shocked when I smiled in the mirror. They look gray! When I told the dentist, he informed me that it was probably just the lighting. He said it shouldn’t be any different than what we saw during try-on because the permanent cement is transparent. Am I crazy? What do I do?

-Beth in Illinois

Beth,

Sorry to hear you are feeling unhappy with the color of your porcelain crowns. It sounds like your dentist was making ever effort to be proactive in matching them up with your surrounding teeth. There is one question that comes to mind – were the crowns dry when you signed off on them? Or was there a try-in paste that was used so you could see them?

It is possible that the paste may have provided a different color if it was used to place the crowns in temporarily. Now if the crowns were placed over the teeth and were dry, then they don’t show any color beneath because the underlying color of the tooth wouldn’t show. When the bonding takes place, the underlying tooth would be visible. Any discoloration or staining would show through. Now, it was assumed that these were all-porcelain crowns since they were on front teeth. If they were indeed porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns, then the metal used in the construction of the crown may show through it. It is possible that is what the gray color your are experiencing. Most excellent cosmetic dentists would not use porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns.

The other issue may be along the lines of what your dentist was explaining where lighting influences the color interpretation. Porcelain may appear different under day light, natural light, or even fluorescent light. That said, the bonding agents should not change colors in the curing process and should not affect the end result. So there is something strange going on here.

Give it a few days. It may just be strange to see the new teeth as they are and if it is consistent on both your teeth, then maybe it will all work out okay. Otherwise, if you can’t get pass it, make a point to diplomatically explain to your dentist why it is unacceptable. It sounds like this may end up being a learning experience for him and should be done free of charge. Good luck and thank you for your question.

I fell and broke my two front teeth in a mountain biking accident. My family dentist is telling me I need to get crowns. A friend told me about CEREC crowns and how they can be done in one day. That is super appealing to me right now because I’m so ready to move on after this accident. But my dentist doesn’t do them. Do I need a referral to go to another dentist? How do I find CEREC dentist in my area?

– Mike in North Carolina

Mike,

CEREC crowns are very popular among busy professionals and anyone that doesn’t want to deal with the inconvenience of wearing a temporary crown. But same day crowns aren’t always the answer. You need to consider the artistic nature of the work that will be required in order to replace your two front teeth.

Consider this – is convenience more important or a beautiful, natural-looking result? When it comes to your two front teeth, they are highly visible. With traditional porcelain crowns, if you find an excellent cosmetic dentist you will never regret the attention to detail and level of effort he or she will put into your crowns on such high profile cosmetic dentistry. These teeth show everyday, with every smile.

For example, the coloration present in a normal tooth fades throughout the surface, the gloss and translucency, as well as the layers of gradation is hard to get right with CEREC. An expert cosmetic will use a master ceramist that they trust. And for such aesthetically-demanding results as is required on front teeth, you don’t want to cut yourself short.

CEREC crowns are milled on-site out of a single block of ceramic. CEREC makes sense for crowns on back teeth or any other teeth that don’t show when you smile. They look nice, but aren’t always the best fit. Simply put, a machine doesn’t have the artistic ability and training that a cosmetic dentist does. Now, that isn’t to say that there aren’t some cosmetic dentists that will paint on additional layers to make a CEREC crown appear more lifelike. Although, you may want to shift your thinking from convenience to avoiding front teeth that may potentially look fake in appearance.

In closing, you don’t need a referral to find a dentist that offers CEREC. Just google the term “CEREC crowns” in your city. But you may want to do yourself a favor and consult with a skilled cosmetic dentist and put your trust in their ability versus finding the first CEREC dentist that comes up in your search bar.

Best of luck!

My crowns are a different color from how they looked during the try-on.

CEREC for crowns on front teeth.