Dental Crowns Archives - Page 2 of 2

I’m Worried That My Implant Crowns Will Not Match My Teeth

Posted on March 28, 2022 by AllSmiles.

Last October, I received dental implants to replace four missing teeth. I opted for an implant for each missing tooth instead of a dental implant bridge. Before dental implants, I had a bridge that was in a weird position that made it looked like it was sitting on my gums. I am wearing temporary crowns on the implants, but I am unsure if I should ask my dentist for porcelain or ceramic crowns. I know I do not want crowns with metal. By the way, all four teeth are front teeth in a row – the center front teeth and the tooth next to them. My dentist wants to put crowns on two other teeth on the left and right sides to make sure they all match the color and have proportionate size. So, I would have a total of eight crowns. My question again is, should I ask for porcelain or ceramic crowns? – Thank you. Daytona from TX

Daytona,

When a dentist uses dental implants for front teeth, they must complete specific details to achieve for function and beauty. But we are concerned about your dentist’s approach.

Do you need additional crowns to ensure a match overall?

Your dentist plans to put crowns on the two teeth on either side of the four missing ones. If your dentist wants to crown an additional four teeth to improve your smile’s appearance, they may not be well-trained and experienced in placing porcelain veneers. Veneers are the preferred treatment for preserving tooth structure and matching your crowns.

What type of dental crowns should you request?

Rather than ask your dentist for a specific type of crown, your dentist must explain the options based on your case. Porcelain is a type of ceramic, but all-porcelain crowns are not as strong as all-ceramic crowns. Today’s dental ceramics provide a high-strength foundation for crowns. For aesthetics, a dental ceramist will bake porcelain over the ceramic to match the color and luster of natural teeth.

What is more important than crown type?

Regardless of which type of crown you receive, the most important success factor is finding a well-trained dentist. Consider a few facts:

Dentists with aesthetic training, understand how to manipulate porcelain to achieve natural-looking color and translucence in your crowns.
Your dentist must also understand how to conceal the border between your implants and crowns.
Without those factors, crowns on your front teeth will not look natural. And you might lose confidence in your smile.

We are concerned that you have a dentist who is a mechanic but not an artist. An artist will care about how your implants and crowns affect the appearance of your lips, gums, and facial features in general. If your dentist does not have artistic talent—which is the case with 98% of dentists—your satisfaction with the results may be acceptable but not beautiful.

Why not find a cosmetic dentist who can accomplish this?

If you took the time to contact us about your case, we recommend that you take another step to find an advanced cosmetic dentist to restore your dental implants. You have already invested time and money in dental implants that are seemingly successful.

Look for a skilled cosmetic dentist with these qualifications:

Restore your dental implants correctly
Preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible on adjacent teeth and still achieve a match
Avoid placing crowns on teeth unnecessarily
Automatically know which type of crowns to use for best results

Best wishes for a successful outcome.

San Antonio dentist Dr. Gilberto Tostado sponsors this post.

Dental Practice Did the Wrong Treatment. Can I Get a Refund?

Posted on March 11, 2022 by AllSmiles.

I’ve been a patient at a large dental chain for the past four years. Depending on my circumstances, I’ve had work done at two locations – one close to home and the other near work. When I recently visited the office near my house, the dentist asked me who placed fillings on two molar teeth because they looked deteriorated on my x-rays. She said that I probably needed root canal treatment and crowns.

After I told the dentist that I received the fillings at the same practice to replace old silver fillings with white ones, she was silent for a few seconds. She explained that if I didn’t get root canals and new crowns, an infection would worsen the situation.

I got a second opinion at a dental practice that is not a chain. The dentist confirmed that I need root canal treatment and crowns. I’m not sure why the chain dental practice didn’t recognize that before wasting my money on fillings. How can I get a refund before leaving this practice? Thank you. Gerard from Memphis

Gerard,

Thank you for contacting us. We are sorry to hear about your experience. Placing composite fillings takes more skill and time than placing silver fillings. But composite fillings are healthier for teeth, and when completed correctly by a cosmetic dentist, the fillings preserve tooth structure and seal out bacteria. But if you needed crowns instead of fillings, a dentist misjudged the condition of your teeth.

We recommend getting another second opinion to confirm that you need root canal treatment and dental crowns. Ask for a copy of your dental records from the chain dental practice.

Also, be upfront about getting another second opinion. If you want to get the work done from the first dentist from whom you received a second opinion, explain that you’re upset about the confusion. Also, ask if they will help you get a refund from the chain for placing defective composite fillings or placing them when you need crowns.

After your new second opinion, if the dentist agrees that you need root canal treatment and crowns, ask your new dentist to call the dentist who placed the fillings. Your dentist should explain:

You received two independent second opinions
Both dentists confirm that you need root canal treatment and crowns.
You want a refund.

If the dentist from the chain dental practice doesn’t want to issue a refund, you can do three things:

Explain that you will post online reviews on social media and any review platforms the practice uses.
Tell the dentist that you will file a complaint with the state dental board.
Explain that you will speak with an attorney, although you probably don’t have a big malpractice case.

Although we can’t guarantee that the dentist will refund you, you can try.

Large dental practices usually have high overhead costs and are driven to be profitable. They often hire many dentists who come and go. Depending on which day of the week you have an appointment, you may receive care from multiple dentists. It can be challenging to establish a relationship with one dentist you trust. But all large practices are not the same. Some consistently offer high-quality care.

Generally, dentists at smaller practices have a higher level of care, ethics, and professionalism. We hope your new dentist will restore your teeth well and help you regain good oral health and a great smile.

San Antonio prosthodontist and cosmetic dentist Dr. Gilberto Tostado sponsors this post.

How Do Dental Crowns Help TMJ Disorder?

Posted on December 27, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I went to see a dentist for TMJ symptoms and he is saying I need dental crowns to fix it. I don’t understand how dental crowns on healthy teeth can fix TMJ.

Betty

Dear Betty,

It is possible he is talking about a full-mouth reconstruction, which is one method of dealing with TMJ Disorder. However, I am concerned that this is what your dentist is jumping to first. There are several more conservative options that should have been tried first. Based on your description above, it sounds like your dentist immediately jumped to one of the most invasive treatments possible.

However, before doing that, I want you to get a second opinion from another dentist. A full-mouth reconstruction involves placing dental crowns on every tooth. This is one of the most advanced procedures in dentistry and I would like to be certain you actually need it.

If it turns out you do end up needing that full-mouth reconstruction make sure whatever dentist you go to has the training necessary to do it correctly. A prosthodontist or another dentist with advanced post-doctoral TMJ training would be a good option.

You will also want to be certain he cares about aesthetics as well. You don’t have to substitute function for form. You can have both. Here is how you can make certain you get it. When you are deciding on your dentist make sure they are willing to place the crowns with a temporary try-in paste. If you are not thrilled with how the dental crowns look, then they need to be willing to send them back to the lab and make any requested changes.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.

Dental Tourism Horror Story from Mexico

Posted on November 1, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

I had a broken tooth that needed a crown. I tried to save money by going to Mexico for the dental work, but this has ended up a disaster. When I got there, they told me I needed four dental crowns. I believed them and went forward with the work. Less than a week later, one of the crowns fell off. I went back and they told me it was because I need a root canal treatment. I did ask why they didn’t tell me about the root canal to begin with and they said because they don’t always work and they were trying to save me money and see if it would work itself out. So, I agreed to the root canal treatment. Fast forward less than another week and my tooth is seriously sensitive to hot, cold, and touch. I called their office and they said I’d need to come in. At this point, I’ve done two trips to Mexico and have ended up worse, so I called a local dentist who does free second opinions. He says the tooth is cracked and I need to extract it and get a dental implant. My question is this. Seeing as the dentist in Mexico misdiagnosed this, should he do the extraction and implant and credit me for the work already done?

Drew

Dear Drew,

Dental Tourism is Risky

You certainly have had a rough go of it. I’m going to file this in one of my many dental tourism horror stories. Every once in a while we hear of a good experience from someone who traveled to Mexico to get their work done at a lower cost, but most of the time something goes wrong.

Here are the things I am concerned about with the dentist from Mexico:

How do you know you actually needed four dental crowns? Did you have decay? A tooth infection? It doesn’t sound like it so I think you were taken advantage of there.
A crown doesn’t fall off because you need a root canal treatment. A crown falls off because the dentist did it wrong.
Did you really need the root canal treatment? If the tooth was infected, yes. But then, they’d have needed to do it the first time.
The root canal treatment wasn’t done properly. The root canal is intended to remove all the infected pulp in your tooth so you would have no feeling in that tooth afterward. The fact that you were having pain tells me they did not do the root canal properly.

As to this local dentist. Even if the tooth is cracked that does not automatically mean it has to be extracted. I would want to get another opinion on that before moving forward.

Let’s say you do need the dental implant. That is a much more advanced procedure than any your dentist from Mexico has done thus far, and these easier procedures have been a disaster. Please, don’t go to them for a dental implant, which requires surgery. You need to bite the bullet and see an experienced dentist here in the states.

As to whether you can recoup your money from the original dentist, that depends entirely on the laws in Mexico. You could first ask for a refund and see what happens.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonio Dentist Dr. Tostado.

Can a Dental Crown Cause a Yeast Infection?

Posted on July 13, 2021 by Annmarie Worthington.

Ever since having a dental crown put in I have had weird symptoms. I have extra saliva, sores in my mouth at the corners, bitter taste, and bad breath. Is it possible that the dental work caused a yeast infection I cannot get rid of?

Laurie

Dear Laurie,

There are quite a few possible causes because each of them can have different reasons. For example, the yeast infection and sores are signs of stress, which could have happened during your appointment for your dental crown. Sometimes stress during a dental appointment can cause something called burning mouth syndrome. However, that usually causes dry mouth and you have the opposite problem with increased saliva.

The bad breath is sometimes a sign of an infection such as strep throat, but the bitterness combined with the other issues makes me think it may be an oral hygiene issue. This sometimes happens when people get sores in their mouths. They are going gently on the brushing, which hinders their oral hygiene. This becomes a way of increasing the problem.

So, what is the solution? Usually, when a person realizes they can brush and floss as normal, they solve the problem on their own. For a time you need to brush and floss after every meal despite the soreness, which will help with the bad breath and bitter taste. It should knock out the yeast infection as well. If it does not and the yeast infection persists, your dentist can provide you with an antibiotic called Nystatin which should knock it out.

I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by San Antonion Dentist Dr. Tostado.
We offer biological dental care.