Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Archives for March 2019

Orthodontics before Crowns?

by


I’m hoping you can help me. I have had two crowns on my front teeth for a long time. They’ve always looked a little pastier than my other teeth, but now they have this unsightly gray line and they are discolored. I need to get them replaced, but my dentist is insisting I get braces first. I really can’t afford that. Isn’t there any way they can do the crowns without my teeth being perfectly straight?

Martha

Dear Martha,

Tulsa braces for othodontic dental treatment

What your dentist is doing is unfair to you. He is insisting on the ideal treatment. Well, not everyone can afford the ideal. He should be able to do these crowns regardless of whether or not you have orthodontics done. How else would they have been placed on your teeth originally? I’m assuming the needed orthodontics isn’t a new thing.

You may have to see another dentist to work within your budget, but that’s okay. there are affordable dentists who take into consideration that sometimes a patient can’t get everything done at once. This is called phased treatment.

You can either get the crowns done now and put off the ortho until later. You can even skip braces altogether. It is completely up to you.

Orthodontics for Adults

If you decide later on you do want to straighten your teeth, you no longer have to get a mouth full of metal wires and brackets. There are better options for adults these days. Most prefer a brand of invisible braces called Invisalign.

These use clear aligners which allow you to straighten your teeth without anyone even knowing. They truly are invisible, even at a conversational distance.

Crowns for Front Teeth

There was a reason your dental crowns looked pasty when you first had them placed. Your dentist placed porcelain fused to metal crowns. While these are perfectly fine for back teeth, they are way too opaque looking for front teeth.

Plus, as you’ve experienced, they also eventually develop a gray line at the gumline. For front teeth, we recommend all-porcelain crowns. These look much more natural and will never develop that unsightly gray line.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Ryan Noah.



Choosing the Right Orthodontist

by

I’ve had three consultations with orthodontists. I’m looking for clear or invisible braces to straighten my teeth and give me more confidence at work. The first two orthodontists gave me similar treatment options for braces. The treatment period would be about two years and would correct my bite and straighten my teeth. The cost was about the same, too. The third consultation costs less and treatment time is shorter. This is strange to me that there is such a difference in time and cost. Are the first two orthos prolonging treatment or is the third one rushing it and trying to get my business with an offer that sounds better but isn’t really going to give me good results? I am on a budget, but I don’t want to waste time on treatment that doesn’t really work. Thanks. Lorna

Lorna,

Your first two consultations with orthodontists propose aligning your bite and your teeth, which can be done with traditional braces or clear aligners. An estimate of two years for orthodontic treatment is in line with the average time, but a thorough examination and digital x-rays are the only way to get a true estimate.

Two images: one of a woman placing her Invisalign aligner. The other, she's smling with it in.
Invisalign works faster than traditional braces

It seems that your third consultation didn’t include bite correction in the treatment. If the estimated treatment time is one year, it seems that a shortcut will be taken somewhere. Tooth movement takes time, and if you’ve never received orthodontic treatment, accurate alignment often takes longer than a year.

It’s reasonable that the cost for the third option is less expensive than the others because your treatment time is shorter. It’s unclear whether the third option is for full orthodontic treatment or for cosmetic treatment that corrects only the teeth that are seen when you smile.

Orthodontic Treatment with Traditional Braces vs. Invisalign

Although you didn’t mention it as a factor, the type of orthodontic appliance used has an effect on your treatment time. For example, Invisalign invisible braces move your teeth with greater precision than traditional braces. And treatment with Invisalign is often shorter—often half the time of traditional braces?

What’s Next?

You can consider calling the third orthodontist and asking what is included in the cost, the type of braces you would receive, and the results you can expect. Weigh your decision carefully, and don’t base your choice of treatment on time and cost alone.

This post is sponsored by Ryan Noah, DDS of Region Dental in Tulsa.