Do I Need to Crown Chipped Teeth?

Posted by writeradmin

I am hoping I have a different option that is being suggested to me from my dentist. I had a bit of a fall and chipped a couple of teeth. My dentist is suggesting that we put dental crowns on both of them. The teeth themselves are healthy. Are dental crowns my only option? I asked about porcelain veneers and he said that they do not work for chipped teeth.

Mitch

Dear Mitch,

I am very glad you wrote. I do not think your current dentist is going to be the best dentist for this repair. He may be a great general dentist and you can stick with him for that type of care, but he does not appear to understand cosmetic dentistry. Both porcelain veneers and dental bonding are better options for repairing chipped teeth than a dental crown. Porcelain veneers will last longer but are more expensive. Dental bonding, done well, will last a few years and look perfectly natural, as evidenced in the images above.

Dentists who don’t do a lot of cosmetic dentistry will steer patients toward the procedures they do feel comfortable with. Every dentist knows how to do dental crowns. However, even if a crown was the best treatment, you will want to be careful because being able to do a dental crown does not mean that he can make a beautiful dental crown.

The problem patient’s face is that cosmetic dentistry is not a recognized specialty. As a result, it is hard for them to know which dentists have the training necessary to do beautiful work. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) does have an accreditation program. Dentists who are AACD accredited are the top cosmetic dentists in the country. They have passed stringent technical exams as well as demonstrated artistry on a large number of examination cases. If a dentist is accredited, then they are in the top 1% of cosmetic dentists in the world. In your place, that is who I would have do the work, especially if the chips are on front teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Naples Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Long.