I’m starting to wonder if my implant dentist knew what he was doing when he put the color on the crown attached to it. I had concerns from the beginning and he encouraged me to give it some time and see if I got used to it. Well, it wasn’t at all what I was expecting, even after giving it a couple weeks. So, I went back in and asked for it to blend in better with the surrounding teeth because I just wasn’t happy with it. I found myself fixated on it every time I looked in the mirror.
So, he agreed to have it redone after dragging his feet on it. Now, I had the new one attached and it is so much darker. It’s worse now than it was before. I don’t think he even checked the color before he put the new one on. I am once again very disappointed. But I honestly don’t want to go back to him because I’m starting to think he doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Also, I’m not sure he removed it properly because the second time he attached the crown to the implant it seemed like he was struggling and it was uncomfortable. It makes me wonder if he may have damaged the post, which really freaks me out. I don’t want to start completely over with the dental implant procedure.
Now, I’m left with a dark dental implant and half of my mouth that I don’t even want to chew on. Do you have any insight about what I should do at this point? I am fed up with this dentist. Do I need to have the entire thing redone or can the crown be successfully redone? I’ve done a little research and was also wondering if having a porcelain veneer placed on the crown would work.
Thank you in advance for any information you can provide that might help.
-Paula in Missouri
Paula,
Your situation is unfortunate and frustrating. Sadly, it happens much more than you’d think. The biggest issue at play here is that not every dentist has the understanding, experience and training required to do aesthetics-related dentistry work correctly. In fact, less than 2% of dentists fall into the category of a cosmetic dentist. The main issue is a fundamental difference between how dentists are trained and how they think. In dental school, the focus is on fixing things and the majority of dentists keep this mindset at the forefront of the services they provide. But, in order to be successful with cosmetic dentistry and color matching requires a thorough understanding of bonding techniques and technologies, as well as a passion for creating beauty. A true cosmetic dentist would not consider their work complete unless you absolutely loved the way it looks.
Unfortunately, your dentist has demonstrated a poor understanding of cosmetic dentistry fundamentals. And as you’ve experienced, the end result is unacceptable. Most excellent cosmetic dentists will give you many opportunities to see exactly what the new restoration will look like before it is permanently bonded in place. You would think he would be particularly careful with the replacement crown. But from what you have shared, it sounds like he went ahead and cemented it on without asking you what you thought. Again, this is telling me that he doesn’t seem to care or, aesthetics simply isn’t in his skill set and he honestly believed it was OK.
If you would like this done how you are expecting it to be done, you need to see an excellent cosmetic dentist in your area that has the necessary training and experience to do beautiful work. An expert cosmetic dentist will be the one in control of the final coloration. He or she will not settle until the final product is perfect and you absolutely love it.
Lastly, do not move forward with trying to use a porcelain veneer to place on top of the crown. This is a recipe for disaster. The crown is a difficult treatment on a front tooth and if your dentist failed, you can expect a similar outcome with a porcelain veneer. Not too many dentists have the expertise to properly bond a porcelain veneer to a crown. It is in your best interest to move on and get a second opinion.
I’m sorry you are having to go through this and hope that by finding a dentist who does excellent cosmetic dentistry in your area, you will end up with the final product you deserve.
This post is sponsored by Barrington cosmetic dentist James T. Gavrilos, DDS.