Hello,

My dentist suggested a porcelain crown over my front tooth to cover up some discoloration. He redid the first one because it was too white, but I don’t like the second one he cemented in. I noticed when I got home how unnatural it looks. He said he’d redo it but should I go back to him, or go see a cosmetic dentist in the city? The only reason I haven’t is because of cost.

Thanks,

Rebecca, from White Plains, NY

Hi Rebecca,

Even an expert cosmetic dentist would have many try-ins for a crown on the front tooth. Your dentist needs a few more tries to get it right, but may lack the cosmetic skills to get it to match perfectly. Most dentists will ask patients to crown both their front teeth in order to get them to match perfectly.

You should be able to find a cosmetic dentist within thirty miles to see. However, if your dentist is offering to fix the color of the tooth for free, you may want to keep working with them in order to save money. Your dentist should try taking a picture of your tooth using an intra-oral digital camera. Pictures taken with natural lighting help the most. Then, temporarily cement the crown, and only get it permanently cemented after seeing it in different types of lighting.

An expert cosmetic dentist can give you the most natural look, but if cost is a factor, continue working with your current dentist for a more affordable option.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge affordable dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.