I am having a real problem, and don’t know what to do. I am in the middle of treatment with a prosthodontist that came highly recommended, but things are not going well. I am getting porcelain crowns on almost all my teeth. We had the first fitting of the top six center teeth. The tops of the teeth were really rounded, and I could feel where the crown and the natural tooth met. They did not look natural at all! My dentist assured me before we started all this that it would look beautiful and natural, and they really didn’t! I asked him to redo the teeth. He seemed annoyed, but did it. Now the fronts look OK, but the crowns do not cover all of my teeth in the back anymore. Part of the reason we are doing this is that my teeth are really sensitive. I can’t stand anything hot or cold near the roof of my mouth. So now the second round of fittings for the first six teeth are not right either, and all of my other teeth are still in temporaries!
I have lost all confidence in this dentist. Is it too late to change? Can I ask to have my case transferred? I kind of don’t care if I make him angry. I just want this over with, and for the amount of money I am spending I want it to look perfect.
Any advice you can give would be great.
Lola in Spokane
Dear Lola,
It sounds as if the dentist you are working with does not have an artistic mindset, but rather a mechanical one. If he is not overly concerned with the appearance of your teeth, then you’re fighting against the tide trying to get him to spend time on cosmetic concerns. Though one might expect a prosthodontist to be an expert on crowns, they rarely have the cosmetic sense to do really beautiful work. The function of your teeth will be fine, but you’ll cringe every time you look in a mirror or see a picture.
It is not too late to change. You need to have an honest conversation with your current dentist, and ask him how to work out the details on the finances, assuming you have already paid some money for this work.
Best of luck to you.
This blog and post sponsored by Grosse Pointe Woods cosmetic dentist Dr. Hadgis.
For more information about smile makeovers, including porcelain veneers, see our website.