- Joined
- Jul 10, 2013
- Messages
- 1
Haha- actually my problem starts like this:
I had silver fillings placed by an older dentist on my 6y molars when I was very young- he believed that this was a good prophylaxis against cavities that would be likely in young kids with poor brushing habits- this was in the mid 70s. About ten years ago on a routine dental visit, my dentist noticed that one of them was missing, placed a sealant, and cautioned me that the tooth was drilled quite low for a protective filling, and that a root canal might be in my future. About two years later, I developed an infection in same tooth necessitating said root canal. Late last week, up very late with a long to-do list, I was in need of quick energy, grabbed a piece of very hard candy and broke this crown on the lateral side (the part visible, naturally!). I was at my dentist (someone very new to me, as I recently moved) today for an evaluation of what to do next. The crown is about seven years old.
Per his exam, this crown was a porcelain cap on a metal base. The crown part which covers my root canal is in good shape, I was told. In an effort to smooth down the rough exposed porcelain part, he buffed (for lack of a better word) the cracked crown down a bit and we discussed options. I was given three:
1) Live with what remains in my mouth now because it is structurally sound (I think this is the most conservative option, but I am meticulous about my dental care, and hate that I have a crown to begin with. I hate that you can see a bit of the metal underlay, and after this buffing job, it is even more visible still. I have a huge smile, and when I smile, you can see a little of this tooth visible. To me it looks awful and it's quite embarrassing.)
2) Dentist will attempt to remove cap intact. I was cautioned that porcelain may crack, necessitating whole new metal and porcelain insert be redone. I was told that the metal cap fits very nicely in there and my dentist does not seem to want to remove it.
3) Dentist, in attempting to remove crown may be unable to do so, necessitating sawing off the metal bit in there. Worst case scenario, existing tooth underneath may fracture in the process requiring bigger dental surgery (not sure exactly what) plus potentially having to have implant placed.
I would appreciate a second or third opinion on what to do. My interests are purely cosmetic- My smile is my single favorite feature, but I am wondering if I might make a less than ideal scenario much much worse. I also have no idea what the worst case scenario involves cost-wise. Do I see a cosmetic dentist to have this type of work done? How would you advise a patient in a similar circumstance?
Thanks so very much for your help! (For a geographic reference point, I live about 90 minutes west of Philadelphia.) -Jill
I had silver fillings placed by an older dentist on my 6y molars when I was very young- he believed that this was a good prophylaxis against cavities that would be likely in young kids with poor brushing habits- this was in the mid 70s. About ten years ago on a routine dental visit, my dentist noticed that one of them was missing, placed a sealant, and cautioned me that the tooth was drilled quite low for a protective filling, and that a root canal might be in my future. About two years later, I developed an infection in same tooth necessitating said root canal. Late last week, up very late with a long to-do list, I was in need of quick energy, grabbed a piece of very hard candy and broke this crown on the lateral side (the part visible, naturally!). I was at my dentist (someone very new to me, as I recently moved) today for an evaluation of what to do next. The crown is about seven years old.
Per his exam, this crown was a porcelain cap on a metal base. The crown part which covers my root canal is in good shape, I was told. In an effort to smooth down the rough exposed porcelain part, he buffed (for lack of a better word) the cracked crown down a bit and we discussed options. I was given three:
1) Live with what remains in my mouth now because it is structurally sound (I think this is the most conservative option, but I am meticulous about my dental care, and hate that I have a crown to begin with. I hate that you can see a bit of the metal underlay, and after this buffing job, it is even more visible still. I have a huge smile, and when I smile, you can see a little of this tooth visible. To me it looks awful and it's quite embarrassing.)
2) Dentist will attempt to remove cap intact. I was cautioned that porcelain may crack, necessitating whole new metal and porcelain insert be redone. I was told that the metal cap fits very nicely in there and my dentist does not seem to want to remove it.
3) Dentist, in attempting to remove crown may be unable to do so, necessitating sawing off the metal bit in there. Worst case scenario, existing tooth underneath may fracture in the process requiring bigger dental surgery (not sure exactly what) plus potentially having to have implant placed.
I would appreciate a second or third opinion on what to do. My interests are purely cosmetic- My smile is my single favorite feature, but I am wondering if I might make a less than ideal scenario much much worse. I also have no idea what the worst case scenario involves cost-wise. Do I see a cosmetic dentist to have this type of work done? How would you advise a patient in a similar circumstance?
Thanks so very much for your help! (For a geographic reference point, I live about 90 minutes west of Philadelphia.) -Jill