What material technology you suggest for my front teeth
Q. Dear Dr Justin I have read a couple of your answers regarding crowns, which is my main concern (at age 27). My dentist has quoted me on work that needs to be done [5 crowns(UL1,2,5 & UR1,2), 2 veneers(UR3,UL3), 3 composites(UL4 & UR4,5)] plus hygiene, whitening, etc and I want to make sure I get it done properly as it’s mostly front teeth (mostly cosmetic work) and I don’t want to spend money on something that isn’t going to last or isn’t done so that I walk out happy. What would you suggest is the material/technology that is best for front teeth and that will last long but look natural? Also, what would you suggest is a rough estimate costing for this(without seeing my teeth I understand it can’t be very accurate)? I currently have a crown on UR2 on a post which is almost 10 years old which needs to be replaced – as it stands out agains the rest of the teeth(colour). UL5 is also a crown that the dentist wants to replace (I think it’s more to match colour, not sure if this is needed, although it is a little loose but has never bugged me). What type of follow up treatment should I expect to have after this amount of work, as I want to be prepared for what needs to be done in the future. Sorry, it’s a long list of questions and I hope it’s not too confusing. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind Regards
A. The best materials for crowns are all ceramic (ie with no metal in them) the actual brand depends on the choice of the dentist and technician but you may see eMax, Procera to name a couple.
If we are giving a patient a ‘makeover’ it makes more sense to work with the front ten teeth as these are the ones that predominately show and gives us complete control over size, shape and colour of your new smile. Your dentist should have a ‘wax up’ made before you proceed which is a template to work to and allows you to see the proposed result. Once the teeth have provisional crowns / veneers on you can make adjustments with your dentist until you are 100% happy (a bit like test driving your new smile). The definitive crowns can then be made to match these.
It is impossible to give you an estimate without seeing you (some foundation work may be required before crowning the teeth, certainly if a tooth is loose this must be addressed ASAP) nor do I know how much hygiene or whitening you need. The fee also reflects the quality, skill and expertise of the laboratory and dentist. Good luck.
Dr Justin Glaister
Umbrella
11 Harley Street, London, W1G 9PF
Web: www.umbrellasmiles.com Tel: 020 7612 9810
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Dr Glaister
Tags: dentist, dentistry, front teeth, front tooth, tooth
This entry was posted
on Monday, August 17th, 2009 at 8:52 am and is filed under Dr Glaister's Answers, Experts Answers, Q. General dentistry.
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