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.