Porcelain Veneers?

[Nomenclature]

Does anyone here have these, or a dental implant or something?


When I was 12, I fell off of my bike and busted my front left tooth. A bond was placed on it, and it looked perfect. Recently, it broke (I made a thread bitching about it; I couldn't eat for 7 days). I finally got it taken care of yesterday with another bond, but noe that tooth is noticeably shorter than the tooth right next to it. ..about 7/8th of an inch shorter. People insist it's subtle and that you can't notice, but it's ALL I notice and feel. It makes me feel horrible, since everyone used to compliment my smile.

I was told by the dentist that getting a veneer over the currently bonded tooth would be a good option, but research tells me that it would cost $1,000, would only last a few years and, from what i've read so far, would NOT look natural next to my other teeth, and would likely be longer or shorter. . .giving me the same problem I had to begin with.




So, I don't think anyone here would be able to answer this, but i'm just wondering in case you can: What do you think my best option is? Something that will be the most durable, natural looking and cost-effective in the long run.

 

[Nomenclature]

Just to clarify: I meant to say that my front-left tooth is now roughly 7/8th of the length compared to my other tooth, not that it's almost an inch smaller.

 

[dhchitown1984]

Hey Nomenclature.... When I was 7, I had the happy experience of smacking my face against the kitchen counter (I was stepping on the bottom cabinet shelf to reach a snack on the top shelf of the upper cabinet) and cracked my two front teeth pretty bad. I had the bonding material until I was about 22 years old.... and as I'm sure you know, it sucked.... can't eat apples, can't eat corn on the cob, all these foods that could really eff-up the bonding and pull them off.... I actually broke my bonding material once in a Twizzler after I had the bonding for about 4 years and had to have it re-done.

Anyways, I had permanent caps placed over my front teeth. The specialist warned me that my teeth may not look "right" in that there would be a natural discoloration between the two teeth on either side of my two front teeth, against the permanent caps, so he actually suggested I have permanent caps placed over all six teeth on the top row of my mouth that show when I smile naturally.

It was expensive, but totally worth it.... I didn't notice until after it was done, but for all the years I had the bonding material, NONE of my school pictures or any kind of posed picture from a family vacation, school function, anything, I NEVER smiled an open-mouth smile! Shortly after the permanent caps, I noticed all my pictures had me smiling more open-mouthed.... and it was true... you could tell there was bonding material on my teeth, and I was unaware that I was so self-conscious about it. It costs money, but you can pay for it over time. I definitely recommend permanent caps though, over veneers... but your ability to do that may only be determinable by the amount of damage to the tooth.

 

[bendted]

Dental implants are the best long term solution and the most cost-effective. I had one done a couple of years ago and yes it is horribly expensive, about $4000 when all is said and done (no insurance), but it is permanent as opposed to a veneer. It's so solid I could gnaw on a tree trunk without damaging the tooth.

 

[Nomenclature]

Anyways, I had permanent caps placed over my front teeth. The specialist warned me that my teeth may not look "right" in that there would be a natural discoloration between the two teeth on either side of my two front teeth, against the permanent caps, so he actually suggested I have permanent caps placed over all six teeth on the top row of my mouth that show when I smile naturally.

Dental implants are the best long term solution and the most cost-effective. I had one done a couple of years ago and yes it is horribly expensive, about $4000 when all is said and done (no insurance), but it is permanent as opposed to a veneer. It's so solid I could gnaw on a tree trunk without damaging the tooth.

Well, I have a question:


Wouldn't a single implant be about the same price or cheaper than getting SIX CAPS?! From what I can estimate, a cap is about $500. Six of those would be over $3,000.



1) A couple of questions for bendted: How does the implant look next to your other teeth?; Does it look natural?



2) I've heard that the anchor for the implant lasts for the rest of your life, but that the false tooth itself lasts about 15-20 years. Is that true?

 

[seven2go]

Just to clarify: I meant to say that my front-left tooth is now roughly 7/8th of the length compared to my other tooth, not that it's almost an inch smaller.

Your dentist fucked up and he SHOULD fix it FREE.
I have a front tooth that is completely "made" up of bonding material. My dentist put in two pegs and built a complete new tooth for me.......for about $200.
The one before that lasted for over 20 years.
If your dentist can't (or WON'T) it's time to go shopping.

 

[bendted]

1) A couple of questions for bendted: How does the implant look next to your other teeth?; Does it look natural?



2) I've heard that the anchor for the implant lasts for the rest of your life, but that the false tooth itself lasts about 15-20 years. Is that true?

The implant is just a post (or anchor) screwed into the jaw. Then they put a cap or crown on it so it will look like any other crowned tooth. Mine looks natural for now but I'm sure over time the surrounding teeth will darken and the crown will look lighter in contrast. But, I'm 51 so I don't anticipate too much more darkening (I hope) and they could always slap a new one in to color-match it in the future. As to questions in 2)...correct on both counts.

 

[Nomenclature]

I don't know that an implant is an option for you. I had an implant done a few years ago after I broke a molar. My dentist told me that you have to have a certain amount of bone thickness available in order to anchor the post properly, or you can't go that route. If it's close, there's the risk of puncturing through into the sinuses.

Uhm. . .ow.





Maybe I should just wait and do this:

Body’s Own Stem Cells Can Lead to Tooth Regeneration


Work at Columbia University College of Dental Medicine Holds Promise for a Biological Substitute for Dental Implants, According to Latest Journal of Dental Research

NEW YORK (May 19, 2010) - A technique pioneered in the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory of Dr. Jeremy Mao, the Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, can orchestrate stem cells to migrate to a three-dimensional scaffold infused with growth factor, holding the translational potential to yield an anatomically correct tooth in as soon as nine weeks once implanted.

http://cumc.columbia.edu/news/press_releases/MAOtooth.html



lol

There was, by the way, a waiting period of about 2 months after the surgery was done and the post was placed in order to allow everything to heal, before the crown was finally placed. I don't know how you'd do that with a tooth in the front.

Is that standard protocol for all implants, then?

One answer, if you don't want to cap a bunch of teeth, is to bleach your teeth before having the crown/cap/veneer done, matching to that color, and then maintaining the whiteness by bleaching 3-4 times a year.

Wouldn't bleaching your teeth that many times a year rapidly damage your tooth enamel?






Ugh. . .it seems like no matter what, every method is complicated and shitty. I wish I never would have broken my tooth to begin with.

 

[thewiz]

I, too, had broken my two front teeth when I was a teenager. Every few years I'd crack off the bonding material that was used to fix the breaks and each time a little more of the tooth went with the repair (I should have learned Milk Duds were not the best thing for teeth!)

I ended up getting two crowns made that perfectly matched the surrounding teeth. The problem was that my surrounding teeth were more yellow than I liked -- probably caused by the antibiotics I took as a baby/toddler for asthma.

I also had two gaps in my teeth -- one caused by a "tusk" tooth that came in to the front of others and one on the lower left that was caused by an not enough room for the molars that was "fixed" by removal that caused other teeth to shift incorrectly. I'd had bridges which were a pain to clean under and that you could tell were not "teeth" but bridges.

I was tired of the yellow teeth, the gaps, and so underwent a major overhaul three years ago. I had the crowns replaced, all my old metal fillings removed, veneers placed on the teeth on the top front, three implants that not only look perfect, they also corrected my bite and eliminated a clicking sound I made when I ate caused by jaw misalighment.

The dentist I used is one of the only ones in DC to also have credentials at GW Hospital. He is very meticulous and I was a little concerned he was milking things when he had me go for a "CT scan of my lower jaw. His reasoning is there is a nerve that runs along the lower jaw just below your teeth that, if impacted, can cause numbness or total loss of feeling. A friend of mine had a different dentist perform an implant in the same place as I. Neither of us had talked about it ahead of time but he remarked that he thought his dentist "screwed things up" because his jaw was now numb and he could not feel anything in the jaw area. When I asked about the concern of the nerve and pressure or penetration by an implant, he said his doctor never discussed it. Mine showed me the images, discussed how he would set the posts, where, etc. His never did any of that. I have no problems and no sensation loss.

The implant posts should last 45 to 50 years (they are titanium). The tooth is also improved and likely to last just as long and nothing sticks to it (so no coffee stains, no plaque, etc.). I can eat anything although the Milk Duds are no longer on my menu!

A good cosmetic dentist can do pretty much anything with your teeth and mouth. Make sure they have good credentials; make sure they have good references.

I notice in pictures through my youth and adulthood thatI rarely showed my teeth. Now I beam and am proud of my smile and regularly receive compliments. My next work will probably be veneers on the lower front teeth as a couple are uneven. My dentist had whitened them but said that was totally my decision (which is also something I like -- he doesn't try to sell veneers, implants or the like).

 

[Gamby6]

Does anyone here have these, or a dental implant or something?


When I was 12, I fell off of my bike and busted my front left tooth. A bond was placed on it, and it looked perfect. Recently, it broke (I made a thread bitching about it; I couldn't eat for 7 days). I finally got it taken care of yesterday with another bond, but noe that tooth is noticeably shorter than the tooth right next to it. ..about 7/8th of an inch shorter. People insist it's subtle and that you can't notice, but it's ALL I notice and feel. It makes me feel horrible, since everyone used to compliment my smile.

I was told by the dentist that getting a veneer over the currently bonded tooth would be a good option, but research tells me that it would cost $1,000, would only last a few years and, from what i've read so far, would NOT look natural next to my other teeth, and would likely be longer or shorter. . .giving me the same problem I had to begin with.




So, I don't think anyone here would be able to answer this, but i'm just wondering in case you can: What do you think my best option is? Something that will be the most durable, natural looking and cost-effective in the long run.

I think your dentist screwed up. Why not possible to make the veneer same length as that of other tooth? Couple of years back, I had to go through root canal treatment for my discolor front teeth caused by tripping from stairs and falling over my face. My dentist asked me whether I like to have crown or veneer. What he said is, although veneer is cheaper($800 per each), it won't stand the test of time. But, crown, although expensive($1200 per each), it's much more durable and you can bite almost anything with that. So I chose crown. But one thing you need to know is, crowning requires shaping your teeth to much smaller size. I don't know if veneer need the same procedure though.

 

[Nomenclature]

I think your dentist screwed up. Why not possible to make the veneer same length as that of other tooth?

I think you've misunderstood; I don't have a veneer now. . .I have a dental bond on that tooth. The old one broke, and I had another one put on recently, which is now noticeably shorter than my other front tooth. The assistant grinded off a little too much of the bonding material.

Couple of years back, I had to go through root canal treatment for my discolor front teeth caused by tripping from stairs and falling over my face. My dentist asked me whether I like to have crown or veneer. What he said is, although veneer is cheaper($800 per each), it won't stand the test of time. But, crown, although expensive($1200 per each), it's much more durable and you can bite almost anything with that. So I chose crown. But one thing you need to know is, crowning requires shaping your teeth to much smaller size. I don't know if veneer need the same procedure though.

The single biggest complaint i've heard from people with crowns, is that it's common for them to fall out. I've known people who've had to go back to their dentist in an emergency to have it cemented back in more than once.


But so far, i've definitely ruled out getting a veneer. I've seen those "extreme makeover" shows, where they give the person an entire mouthful of porcelain veneers. . .what they don't tell the poor girl, is that every 10 years, they're going to need to spend about $20,000 out-of-pocket to replace all their teeth, or they'll be stuck with little needle-points for teeth for the rest of their life.

 

[Gamby6]

The single biggest complaint i've heard from people with crowns, is that it's common for them to fall out. I've known people who've had to go back to their dentist in an emergency to have it cemented back in more than once.

I think it's probably because glue is not strong enough. When I went through this procedure, I had to refrain from drinking/chewing hot stuff for a day. Other than that, it's still going strong. Hell, I can't remember how many times I accidentally bit on plum's stone or goat/mutton/chicken bone.

But so far, i've definitely ruled out getting a veneer. I've seen those "extreme makeover" shows, where they give the person an entire mouthful of porcelain veneers. . .what they don't tell the poor girl, is that every 10 years, they're going to need to spend about $20,000 out-of-pocket to replace all their teeth, or they'll be stuck with little needle-points for teeth for the rest of their life.

My dentist asked me if I wanted to cover the rest of my front teeth with veneers to look like a celebrity. I thought about doing it until he told me how much it would cost which was $8400 at that time. Mind you, that was discount price.