I had a root canal and the tooth needed a dental crown. My dentist has had a very hard time getting it to look natural. The first one looked way too white. Then he redid it. The next one was a more realistic shade, but still doesn’t match my adjacent teeth. He bonded that one on. At first, I thought I could live with it but I’m really uncomfortable having mismatched front teeth. He’s willing to try again. Do you think I’m being too picky? I can tell he’s getting frustrated, even though he hasn’t said anything.

Louisa

Dear Louisa,

You’re not being too picky. You have every right to have matching front teeth, especially when they’re being crafted for you. However, you might be asking too much of your particular dentist. Matching a single front tooth requires cosmetic skills that are likely above his artistic and technical ability at this point.

Even many expert cosmetic dentists, will charge extra for matching a single crown to a front tooth because they know it could take three or four try-ins. A dentist should never permanently bond on the crown until they are 100% sure it matches the adjacent tooth absolutely. There are many subtleties in colors. It’s rare to get it spot on first time out of the box.

You have two choices. The first one is for you to continue to allow your dentist to try and get it right. He may and it won’t cost you any extra. However, there’s no guarantee he will.

Your other option is to find an expert cosmetic dentist and let them do your crown. They’ll be more likely to get the result you’re both hoping for and deserve. But, it will cost you some extra. It’s possible your dentist would be willing to give you a partial refund because you’re having to go elsewhere for the crown.

Finding an Expert Cosmetic Dentist

How is a patient supposed to know which cosmetic dentists have the skills and artistry to create a gorgeous restoration? The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) realized the quandary many patients found themselves in. Because of that, they began an accreditation program. This requires the dentist to pass stringent oral and written examinations demonstrating their technical knowledge of their craft. In addition to that, they have to provide examples of a large number of specific cosmetic cases they’ve done within a recent time period.

Anyone who reaches accreditation level with the AACD can not only match your crown to your front teeth, but if you ever decided to go all out and get a total smile makeover with porcelain veneers, they’d give you an absolutely stunning smile.

If you were to pick a new dentist to do your cosmetic work, they should be on the top of your choice list. To find one in your area, you simply go to the aacd.com website and choose “find a dentist”. Make sure you click that you’re looking for an accredited dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.