I mentioned to my dentist that I wish my teeth were whiter. He mentioned because I have two crowns, I’d need to get those re-done first to match. He also looked closer at all my teeth and said my bite is off which means I have TMJ and need to get all the teeth crowned to fix it. This seems a bit excessive to me. Plus, it really surprised me to hear my bite was off. I had braces in my middle school years and didn’t feel like anything had changed since then. I’m thinking I should get a second opinion. What do you think?
Carla
Dear Carla,
I’m a little concerned with what I’m hearing. Let’s start with the teeth whitening. You don’t crown teeth to whiten them. Yes, you have a couple of crowns and they will have to be re-done to match but that will be AFTER your teeth are whitened. Not before. Otherwise, how will he know what shade of white to make them?
Now, about this crowning every tooth. This is called a full-mouth reconstruction and is usually reserved for more severe TMJ Cases. You haven’t mentioned any symptoms of TMJ Disorder. Without that, you should have serious doubts about this recommendation.
TMJ Symptoms
- Jaw Pain
- Popping in Your Jaw
- Clicking in Your Jaw
- Migraines, especially in the morning
- Teeth Grinding or clenching
See a TMJ Dentist
I agree you need a second opinion. There isn’t a recognized specialty in TMJ Disorder. As such, there aren’t really any TMJ “Specialists”. However, there are dentists who have invested a great deal of time in studying TMJ Disorder and the different treatment options. Treatment is determined by first finding the underlying cause.
You want a dentist who has studied TMJ and occlusion at one of the reputable post-doctoral schools, such as The Dawson Academy, the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies, and The Kois Center.
Dentists who’ve studied at one of these schools are qualified to help diagnose your problem and come up with a good treatment. Most dentists prefer to start with the most conservative treatments first to see if that solves it before delving into something as invasive (and expensive) as a full-mouth reconstruction.
This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.