I fell while my son was teaching me to skateboard and chipped one of my teeth. I wanted to just get bonding done to keep everything as minimally invasive as possible. My dentist said that dental bonding does not hold. Instead, she wants to give me a dental crown. I’m hesitant to do that because it is a healthy tooth. Plus, I have another crown and it really doesn’t look very natural. Thankfully, that one is toward the back, but this will be a front tooth. Is there an alternative to these procedures?
Patricia
Dear Patricia,
Before I answer your questions, let me first say that you get the epic mom award. Now, onto why you really wrote. Unless you are an unusual case, dental bonding would be the correct fix for this. It can hold up well when done by an expert cosmetic dentist with the right materials. I think the bigger issue here is your dentist is not comfortable doing dental bonding and is, therefore, trying to steer you in another direction. You are right to be concerned about the dental crown.
Not only is it overly invasive, but it is extremely difficult to match a crown to a single front tooth. If she is not capable of doing dental bonding and your other crown looks fake, I would not let her anywhere near this chipped tooth.
My suggestion is you see an expert cosmetic dentist and let them do the repair. You are better off finding a dentist who has reached accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (aacd.com). AACD accredited dentists have to pass arduous examinations as well as have their cosmetic cases evaluated by a board of examiners. Those who reach accreditation are in the top 1-3% of cosmetic dentists in the world.
As a tip, I would recommend you get your teeth whitened before having your dental bonding done. While the bonding can be made to match any color exactly, once it is cured into place, the color cannot be changed. If you decide to whiten your teeth afterward, your natural teeth will whiten, but not your bonding. It will have to be completely re-done. If whitening is on the horizon, getting it done before saves you money.
This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.