I’m a tad disappointed. I was very excited about getting my crown. I’ve had an ugly gray tooth for a while. The rest of my teeth are a beautiful white so it was pretty distracting. I was finally going to have a smile I was proud of. Plus, I would get it in one appointment. Sounds great, right? But, when I got the tooth, it looked fake. I don’t know how to describe it, except maybe it looks like a piece of chicklet gum. Sort of a chalky white. Is that because I got a CEREC crown? Would it have been prettier if I’d have been patient and chose the traditional type of crown?
Florence.
Dear Florence,
This is a tricky situation. CEREC crowns are great restorations. And yes, they can give you a smile the same day you go in. All dentists can do a great job with them on less visible parts of a smile. When you’re talking about a very visible area, however, it takes some skilled cosmetic work.
The reason is until recently, CEREC crowns would only mill from a single block of porcelain. That can make a tooth have a flat appearance, such as you’re experiencing. A skilled cosmetic dentist knows how to add stains and color variations to the porcelain to give it the same subtle distinctions you see in a natural tooth. These days, there are newer CEREC machines that can mill changes but not all dentists have those yet.
So, where does this leave you?
When You’re Unhappy with Your CEREC Crown
It can be hard to tell someone you’re not happy with the work they did. But, your smile is an important part of your life. It’s the first impression people have of you. As hard as it might be I think you need to go back to your dentist and tell them the tooth doesn’t look natural.
He or she should be willing to replace it. If they’re not, you can try to get a refund. Unfortunately, the standard for a refund is if it doesn’t function, not if it’s unattractive. So, it’s up to your dentist.
But, when you’re talking about being unhappy with your smile for the rest of your life, it might be a good idea to invest in another crown, this time done by a better dentist; one with an eye for cosmetic work. If you go to a skilled one, you won’t have to have a traditional crown.
This blog is brought to you by AACD Accredited Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.
