Two weeks ago, my dentist placed ceramic crowns with a porcelain glaze on my upper center front teeth. They perfectly matched my natural front teeth. I approved my dentist to cement them in. After he cemented them, I noticed a gray tent, so I asked my dentist about it. He said he uses transparent cement, so maybe it is the lighting. I have looked at my teeth in sunlight, fluorescent light, and natural light indoors, but I still see the gray tint. I think that my dentist will not acknowledge the mistake because I am scheduled to get two dental implants next week. He probably just wants to keep moving forward with my treatment plan. How do I know if my dentist really used transparent cement? Or did something in the bonding process go wrong? – Thank you. Bethany from Wyoming
Bethany,
We are concerned about whether your dentist let you try in your new crowns before bonding them. However, we will provide some insight on what may have happened.
Why Would Crown Color Look Good Then Look Gray?
If your new crown color initially looks good then looks discolored, the issue could be with the try-in of the lighting.
Dental Crown Color During a Try-in
Did your dentist use a try-in paste between your crown and tooth for you to check the fit and color? The paste could create a perceived color difference from when the crowns were cemented. Tooth color, stain, or a metal post in teeth can cause crowns to have a hint of gray. Some dentists use clear glycerin to try in crowns and mimic transparent cement or bonding.
Color Metamerism in Dental Crowns
Color metamerism is a situation that occurs when a color appears one way in a specific type of light but looks different when the lighting changes. Some porcelains match perfectly under fluorescent light but look different in sunlight or other types of light. But high-quality bonding cement will not change colors, and curing will not cause your crown color to look different from your natural teeth.
If the grayness in your crowns is significant and noticeable, your dentist should agree to correct it at his expense. Pay attention to the type of light that makes your crowns look gray. Schedule an appointment with your dentist and ask him to look at your crowns in different lighting, including the type of light that affects your crown color. Your dentist should be willing to help you achieve the natural results you want.
Best wishes on a quick but thorough resolution so that you can start planning for dental implants.
San Antonio dentists Dr. Gilberto Tostado and Dr. Karina Acuña sponsor this post. Read what they do to provide some of the best dental care in San Antonio.
