Have you ever heard of a dentist refusing to place crowns without having braces done? Here’s what is going on. I went into my dentist today to to talk to him about replacing my old crowns that are on my front teeth. It has been about 15 years or so since they were originally put on and he told me that I need to have full orthodontic braces first. Pretty much I was told that I won’t be able to get new crowns if I don’t do the braces first. The problem is that I cannot afford to have braces and all I really want is to have the crowns replaced. I would consider his other recommendations at a later time, just not right now. I really don’t think my front teeth are that crooked, so I don’t know what to do. Can you provide any insight?
– Tom from Missouri
Tom,
It is not a good sign when a dentist gives you an ultimatum or places restrictions on what treatment they will provide. It sounds like he is only willing to do the perfect scenario and doesn’t seem to understand your budget concerns. Although a treatment may not always be ideal, doing something is most likely better than nothing if you can afford it.
It is possible to have the crowns fixed without having to do the braces. You could wait until you can afford the orthodontics or you could bypass it altogether if you choose.
Take a look around to see if you can find a dentist that is a bit more understanding about your budgetary constraints and will work with you.
For your front teeth it would be best to have all-porcelain crowns done. This is because if you have porcelain fused to metal crowns, then you run the risk of them ending up looking fake. Also, you may have a dark line that is visible along your gum line. But make sure that the dentist you choose is experienced and seems comfortable doing porcelain crowns. You don’t want to push a dentist out of their comfort zone because you may not end up with the results you want.
I hope this information is helpful to you.
This post is sponsored by Tulsa dentist Region Dental.
Related link: Invisalign