Baton Rouge Dentist

Is a partial crown or a full crown better for a cracked tooth?

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When I was eating popcorn the other night, I cracked one of my back teeth on the bottom. I can see the crack when I look at the tooth in the mirror. Because I don’t have a lot of money,  I have been trying to research how to fix it the cheapest way and have found information about crowns and partial crowns to fix it. Can you tell me which is going to be best for me?

Thanks,
Rhett, West Virginia

Dear Rhett,

This is difficult to answer without seeing your tooth. There are different types of cracked teeth, some of which are hardly noticeable and some that warrant a trip to the emergency dentist. You may have cracked just the enamel on the surface, or the crack may go down into the middle part of the tooth that houses the pulp. The crack may go just across one corner or may go all the way across the tooth. The point of treating a cracked tooth is to prevent it from fracturing or getting further damaged, and also preventing infection.

How to fix a cracked tooth?

Because of the risk of additionally damaging the tooth, a full crown is typically the treatment preferred by dentists. This a more long-term approach to protecting the tooth because it completely covers the tooth.

A partial crown, or onlay, is an option only for certain types of cracks in a tooth. Onlays cover the surface of the tooth used for chewing, not the whole tooth. For minor cracks, an onlay may work if it is made of a good material. A gold onlay is the most durable for any crack in the surface of the tooth. Porcelain or other composite materials may not hold up against the rigorous chewing done with those back teeth. Some dentists don’t recommend onlays simply because they are not comfortable placing them.

Visit your dentist and find out the severity of your cracked tooth and if an onlay is an option for protecting it. Your dentist may be able to work with you on an affordable treatment plan if a crown is what is recommended for you.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry in Baton Rouge, LA.

 

 

 

Do they do smile makeovers with crowns?

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Not long ago, I decided to have a smile makeover. I thought I received porcelain veneers, but when I look at my teeth, the porcelain appears to go all the way around my teeth. I’m wondering if this was completed like this because my teeth weren’t strong enough before the makeover. Is it normal to have my entire tooth covered even though my procedure was done for cosmetic reasons?
– Anton in Louisiana

Anton,
There isn’t a big difference between porcelain veneers and porcelain crowns. In fact, it’s hard to determine when a porcelain veneer becomes a crown. In terms of fees, most cosmetic dentists have fees that are close to the same for either procedure because both types of dental work take about the same amount of work to finish.

When you receive cosmetic work, it’s quite common to have porcelain crowns done across your front teeth. Your dentist usually has a good reason to have the whole tooth done in the makeover. In fact, there are many reasons your tooth may be crowned.  If your tooth was weak in any way, if there were fillings in the teeth or if your bite needed improvement, you would need more extensive treatment.

It’s important that dentists discuss with you why they might recommend crowns. The majority of cosmetic dentists do their best to be conservative with their work. They do this by trying to preserve as much or your natural tooth structure as possible. They know that crown work is more aggressive and requires a substantial amount of tooth reduction all the way around and they do their best to avoid it whenever possible. However, sometimes the tooth is too weak and needs more stability with crowns. Veneers require only a slight shaving of the front of the tooth.  This is why you need to have a proper explanation for why you might need crowns.

This blog brought to you by Baton Rouge family dentist, Dr. Ryan P. Perry.

How can I fix ugly porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns?

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Over 20 years ago, I decided to get porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns on my front top teeth and now they look bad. When I smile, you see a dark line and I have a large smile. How can I fix this? Would Lumineers be the best solution?
– Cindy from Louisiana
Cindy,
The answer to your challenge is simple – you need new, all-ceramic crowns, with no metal in them. The most important thing you need to know is this work needs to be done by an expert and artistic cosmetic dentist. You don’t want a regular dentist to do this so you need to do a little research to be sure you have a cosmetic dentist who can create beautiful smiles. The right cosmetic dentist will give you a gorgeous smile.

Decay on a Tooth with a Crown after Just Six Years

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I have a six year-old porcelain crown with a cavity underneath. What would cause this to happen?
– Jennifer from Oklahoma

Jennifer,
A crown should last longer than six years. When the dentist prepares the tooth for the crown, they must be sure that the margin, the area where the crown meets the tooth, has no gaps in it and it must be smooth. If there’s a gap or roughness at the margin, the area will attract plaque and be vulnerable to recurrent decay. It sounds like the dentist that created your crown didn’t prepare the margin area properly so your tooth was prone to decay.

With regards to insurance companies, they generally expect a dental crown to last at least five years and they won’t pay for a replacement crown any time before this date. However, many dentists believe the crown should last much longer than five years and would be embarrassed if they did a crown and it didn’t last for years and years unless the patient had a tendency to get cavities.

When you decide to replace your crown, make sure you do thorough research to locate a cosmetic dentist with a proven track record for creating crowns.

For more information about Dr. Ryan P. Perry, visit his Baton Rouge Family Dentist website.

My teeth are so small. What can I do to make them look more normal?

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All of my permanent teeth came in very small. My friends think they are still my baby teeth and I am becoming very insecure about my smile.  What can I do to my permanent teeth to make them look a more normal size?

Thanks for your advice, Tina

Dear Tina,

We understand the concern about your permanent teeth and how it may make you feel. When our permanent teeth do not develop correctly it is called anodontia, most common in premature babies however can be a genetic disorder as well. There are also certain environmental factors that can influence teeth development. The good news is that there are some amazing dental techniques that can greatly improve your smile and bring back the confidence you are looking for.

Depending on the shape and alignment of your teeth you may be a candidate for porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns, both of these procedures are permanent, long lasting, and look very natural. Porcelain veneers cover just the front surface of the tooth, requiring very little reshaping of the tooth surface. Porcelain crowns require more shaping of the tooth surface and cover the entire tooth.

We recommend you schedule a consultation with a dentist that specializes in cosmetic dentistry and has a lot of training in the field of cosmetics. Choose wisely while searching for a dentist because cosmetic dentistry is a skillful art and takes much talent.

Post courtesy of Dr. Perry, Baton Rouge Dentist.

I need to find an affordable dentist

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I am writing to see if you can tell me about some kind of agency or something that helps people find affordable dentists. I don’t have dental insurance right now. I found a dentist that does complimentary consultations, but the treatment prices they quoted me were frankly breathtaking. I know I have to have this work done, but I have to locate someone who has more reasonable rates.

I have a broken tooth, and it is really starting to bother me. It has been broken for quite a while, but just recently I’ve noticed swelling, and my face hurts when I wake up in the morning. In the last two days I’ve noticed the pain moving down my jaw, and my ear is bothering me, and my neck.

Can you give me a website or something? I appreciate any pointers.

Jay in Ferrisburg

Dear Jay,

What you describe sounds like an infection in your tooth, and it does indeed need to be treated. If you take antibiotics without first addressing the source of the infection within the tooth, you will make the problem worse. Oral antibiotics cannot reach the source of the infection unless you have a root canal treatment or have the tooth extracted. So even though you have to take care of this within your means, don’t try to cut corners by just taking an antibiotic.

Keep in mind, if you have a root canal treatment on the broken tooth, you may also have to have a porcelain crown placed over the tooth to protect the remaining structure. That will also add significantly to the bottom line.

Search for “affordable dentist” in your area, or just start calling to see who will work with you with payment plans or phased treatments. Some dentists are reluctant to advertise that they are “affordable” because they don’t want to leave the impression that their work is “cheap”. But with some diligence, you will be able to locate a dentist that will work with you.

Post courtesy of Dr. Perry, Baton Rouge dentist.

Just one crooked front tooth – what are my options?

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I’ve been reading through all of your blog posts, and think you have a great site. I feel like I could really trust your advice, so I am going to ask what you think about my situation.

I have one crooked front tooth, and when I say crooked, I mean SERIOUSLY crooked. It has always been embarrassing to me, and now that I am getting ready to enter a new career, I want to get it fixed. The problem is that I keep getting different advice from different dentists! This makes me really distrustful. I don’t know who to believe, and was hoping you could help shed some light on the situation.

One dentist said I should go with conventional braces, and another said that I could try Invisalign. I was wondering about just pulling it and replacing it with a dental implant, but neither dentist would discuss that option. A third dentist said that I could consider a porcelain crown, but that it would be really challenging to match to my other teeth and that I would really want to talk to an expert cosmetic dentist about getting this work done. Does it really make that much of a difference? And why the three different answers? It makes me suspicious that this is all some big conspiracy.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Alberta in Seattle

Dear Alberta,

Let us put your suspicions to rest. You received three different answers (all of them perfectly viable) because the three dentists you consulted all have different areas of expertise.

Conventional braces would certainly straighten your crooked tooth, but it could take up to two years to complete treatment. Invisalign treatment is usually shorter, and there are many advantages to that type of invisible braces. And finally, the dentist who advised you to talk to an expert cosmetic dentist was absolutely correct in stating that matching a porcelain crown or a porcelain veneer in the front of the mouth can be quite tricky. It is commendable that he or she recognizes this challenge and is giving you excellent advice.

Any one of the three solutions could work for you, so now it is time to decide which course of treatment would be best. It might be best to talk to an expert cosmetic dentist who also does Invisalign, as they could offer you the pros and cons of each solution.

The dental office of Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry sponsored this blog post.

What can I do to cover up these ugly porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns?

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When I was 20 years old I had porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns placed on my teeth. That was almost 25 years ago, and now those crowns look pretty bad. There is a very noticeable dark line at my gumline, and I have a really big smile. Is there anything that can cover that line up? What about Lumineers? What about dental bonding? I don’t want to have to replace all these porcelain crowns because that will be pretty expensive, but I have about reached the end of being able to deal with these ugly crowns.

Melissa in Augusta, Maine

Dear Melissa,

There are really not many options for you here. You need new porcelain crowns, and if you chose the right dentist to help you, your new smile will be stunning. Putting Lumineers or some other kind of porcelain veneer over your existing crowns will not yield good results, and dental bonding will not work to disguise the dark line.

The most important point to take from this discussion is that you need to choose an experienced, expert, artistic cosmetic dentist to help you get this work done. Any dentist can say that they do cosmetic work, so you’ll need to be a careful investigator. Check websites for patient galleries, and ask about specialized training.

This blog post created for Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.

An old injury making my tooth turn dark

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When I was nine I wiped out on my skateboard and put a chip in my left front tooth. My dentist at that time did a nice job fixing it, but now all these years later that tooth is noticeably darker than the others around it. I talked to my current dentist about this, but she says that she would not be comfortable doing a crown because the tooth is dead. She did say that she wants to refer me to a friend of hers that does cosmetic dentistry, but I am a little nervous about the cost. I’ll be paying for this procedure out of pocket, and expect that a cosmetic dentist will be a lot more expensive. I’ve always been really happy with my dentist’s work, and can’t really figure out why she seems to reluctant to do this. I mentioned Lumineers, and she said that I should discuss them with the other dentist, but that she has heard of some issues with them.

Can you shed some light on why she might be dragging her feet on this?

Zachary in South Fork

Dear Zachary,

Your dentist is actually demonstrating extremely ethical behavior. Though any dentist can SAY they do cosmetic dentistry, only about 5% really have the artistic sense and training to do exceptionally beautiful work. Your dentist is telling you that this is not her area of expertise, and referring you to someone she trusts to do superior work.

Lumineers are a brand of porcelain veneers, and there have been some issues with them. The cosmetic dentist you talk to may like to work with them, though, so make sure you chose the dentist with care and let the dentist guide you towards the best solution. A porcelain crown may not be the best solution, as your current dentist suggests but again, the cosmetic dentist you consult will give you all the options and then let you decide what to do.

This blog and post are sponsored by Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.

Son with a broken tooth

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My ten year old son was playing lacrosse and got hit in the mouth with a stick. One of his top front teeth broke off, about 2/3 of the way up, and the other has a diagonal crack in it. I took him to the dentist’s office today, but the dentist wouldn’t even see him. The receptionist says he won’t have time to fix the tooth for 3 more weeks. That is just crazy!

I don’t want to wait for treatment on this. Is it customary to wait this long? Is there some medical reason why it should NOT be treated right away?

Thanks,

Suzy in St. Paul, MN

Dear Suzy,

No medical reason exists to wait. If you still have the piece that broke off, that could help the situation. A talented cosmetic dentist will be able to reattach the piece of tooth.

You should absolutely choose an excellent cosmetic dentist for this procedure, as you want these teeth to look as good as possible.

If you do not have the piece of tooth, direct dental bonding may be an option to repair the broken tooth, or he may need a porcelain crown or two, depending on the severity of the crack in the other tooth. If the roots of the teeth are cracked, he may need root canal treatment. If you consult with an excellent cosmetic dentist, he or she will be able to offer you all of the possible options to get the possible aesthetic result.

Posted courtesy of Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.