I have one crown that needs replacing and two porcelain veneers. My dentist is suggesting that we crown all of my teeth because they are not very white. I’m a little concerned about that. It is pretty pricey and I’m worried that I will now always have to have crowns on those teeth. Replacing them will probably be a regular thing. This crown that needs replacing is only four years old. I cannot afford to do this so often. I don’t want to be ungrateful for him trying to improve my smile, but this feels like overkill.
Meredith
Dear Meredith,
Teeth Bleaching Trays
I do not want you to allow this dentist anywhere near your teeth. Please listen to me. You are not wrong in thinking that this is overkill. Do you know what the best solution for a stained smile is? Teeth whitening. That will only cost you a few hundred dollars. What your dentist is suggesting is called a full-mouth reconstruction and it will cost upwards of $30,000.
That is not the worst part, though. A full-mouth reconstruction is one of the most advanced procedures there is. When done incorrectly, it could throw off your bite so severely that you have a lifetime of pain without additional reconstruction. Your dentist does not appear qualified. His dental crown has only lasted four years. The bare minimum should be five years. Most dentists construct crowns that last years longer than that.
My suggestion is that you find a dentist who does teeth whitening. Get the whitening done, then replace the dental crown. Be aware that the porcelain veneers you have will not whiten along with the teeth so you may need to replace them to get a match depending on how white you are going.
That brings me to another point. Even if you did want a complete smile makeover, crowns would not be the right solution. Porcelain veneers are the standard procedure. They do not grind down your teeth the way crowns do.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.