My Metal-Free Smile Makeover Is a Disaster
Posted by Annmarie SanSevero
I wanted a smile makeover that was metal-free. My dentist suggested zirconia crowns, which I agreed to. Now I wish I hadn’t. First, they look flat white, which makes them look fake. Second, the way he placed them seems too big and too far forward. I talked to my dentist about it and he said that they looked fine to him and were way better than my natural teeth. I was still not happy and went to see another dentist and asked if they looked okay to him. His reply was, “If you like horse teeth.” Now I’m to embarrassed to go out. The second dentist offered to fix them, but I didn’t feel comfortable with the way he talks to or treats patients. I saw him disrespectful to another person as they were leaving. Can this really be fixed? If so, how do I find the right dentist?
Allie
Dear Allie,
I’m glad you wrote. Before we get started, I am curious as to why your dentist placed dental crowns on your teeth for your smile makeover instead of porcelain veneers? It would make sense if you had porcelain crowns already, but if you didn’t than really the standard and best procedure for a smile makeover is porcelain veneers. If he gave you crowns instead, it’s because he’s not comfortable with placing veneers. That means he is not a skilled cosmetic dentist. In fact, I’m not impressed with either of the dentists you’ve been to thus far.
One of the problems you are facing is the way he did your metal-free crowns. Based on your description, it sounds like he did monolithic crowns. Zirconia is a fantastic means of getting beautiful, metal-free crowns, but they have to be done with skill. Because they are milled by a computer, they can be fit precisely. However, because it is milled from a block of porcelain, it will not have the normal color gradations that a natural tooth does. Because of that, if you have a tooth in what is known as the aesthetic zone — the teeth visible to light when you smile — then there will need to be some veneering done.
With this, a porcelain paste is applied to the crowns and baked into the final restoration. In the hands of a skilled cosmetic dentist and laboratory technician, a blend of coloring can be used to mimic the variations in a natural tooth so that it looks completely normal. This is known as layered zirconia. Without it, you get monolithic zirconia, which gives that flat, fake look that you have. This works fine on back teeth but is completely inappropriate on front teeth.
Combine that with his inability to place the front teeth in the correct position and my suggestion is that you have this smile makeover re-done. I would ask him for a refund. In most cases, it’s hard to get a refund just because you don’t like the way something looks. However, if the front teeth are placed in a way that throws off your bite, that could give you some leverage.
When you do have it redone, choose your cosmetic dentist carefully. I recommend someone who is AACD accredited. They are the top cosmetic dentists in the country.
This blog is brought to you by Franklin, TN Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Christopher Weber.
