dental crowns Archives - Kentucky Dental Group

Don’t Be Fooled by 360 Wrap Veneers

Posted on October 31, 2022 by writeradmin.

I went to get a smile makeover and asked for porcelain veneers, the flat regular kind. My dentist said I would be a better candidate for 360 wrap veneers. I did ask how much tooth structure that would remove and he assured me it would hardly remove any. I went ahead and agreed to the switch. During the night, one of the temporaries fell off. Not just once, but three times. I just popped it back in and wasn’t too worried. I never saw the tooth beneath it. Then, when the permanents came in, two of those fell out. This time it was during the day. I saw the teeth underneath and they are little nubs, which is NOT what he said. The holidays are coming up and I am worried they are going to fall out during our family gatherings. My dentist said they could try stronger cement and accused me of being too rough with them. I can promise you I haven’t been. Do you have any advice for me on what to do about this?

Lorna

Dear Lorna,

First, I am going to tell you I am sorry this happened to you. To be blunt, your dentist is “ethically challenged” and that is putting it as nice as I can. First, he lied to you about the amount of structure that would be removed from your tooth. He also lied about the porcelain veneers themselves. There is no such thing as 360 wrap veneers. Those are dental crowns.

When you get porcelain veneers, hardly any structure needs to be removed from your teeth. The picture directly below shows what a prepared tooth looks like for porcelain veneers. As you can see only about a fingernail’s depth of structure is removed and only from the front of your teeth.

Porcelain Veneer Prep

With dental crowns, however, the restoration has to fit completely around your tooth. Because of that, dentists have to remove a LOT more tooth structure. Below is a picture of the type of tooth preparation necessary for a dental crown. I have a feeling this is similar to what your dentist did.

Porcelain Crown Prep

Why Did He Give You Dental Crowns?

Some dentists do not know how to place porcelain veneers. It’s not really taught in some dental schools. This is true with most cosmetic procedures. They have to be learned post-doctorally. If a dentist does not want to invest in training for something that won’t get him recognized as a specialist then they’ll just try to talk you into a procedure that was taught in dental school.

However, your dentist couldn’t even do that right. His dental crowns don’t stay in! So, here’s the deal. Unfortunately, you are stuck with dental crowns. Once that tooth structure is removed, it can’t be put back.

Because your dentist misrepresented the procedure to you, I believe you have an excellent case to get a refund. Then, I want you to have another dentist re-do this for you. Make sure that when they put in the temporaries it is with a temporary try in paste. You should LOVE how they look. If you don’t, they should be willing to send them back and make changes. Get their agreement up front to this. If a dentist doesn’t agree, he’s not a great cosmetic dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Is the Palladium in my Dental Crown Toxic?

Posted on June 9, 2021 by writeradmin.

My dentist fit me with three dental crowns. I later found out that they are Encore crowns which are 40% palladium. I was surprised to hear that. Given that palladium is toxic, would I be wise to remove these crowns and get zirconia instead, which is much more inert?

Cassie

Dear Cassie,

I was surprised by your comment about palladium. As someone who practices holistic dentistry, Dr. Weaver strives to keep abreast of issues like this. It is frustrating that so many dentists blow off the comcept of metal sensitivities because it is a real issue. However, we need to make sure our information is current and accurate.

After doing some research as a result of your question, I’ve found two main sources that people are quoting they received the information. The first is a Hollywood movie. The second is a natural news site. Let’s start with the movie. In Iron Man 2, Tony Stark has an arc reactor in his chest that has a palladium core. In the movie, the paladium is poisoning his blood. This is not a real world experience. Palladium is a noble metal, part of the platinum family, and highly biocompatible.

Now for the natural news source. They wrote that palladium is a highly toxic heavy metal. This is actually false. It is a light, precious metal. For the life of me I cannot figure out where they are getting their information. I did notice they have a link where readers can request a hair analysis for the low price of $325.00. That does give a motivation for the misinformation. I hate to think of how many people are being swindled by them.

I don’t see any reason to change your dental crowns. However, if you do want to, zirconia is metal-free and a great choice. Honestly, though, I think switching is a waste of your money.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Affording Dentistry without Insurance

Posted on June 17, 2019 by writeradmin.

I was laid off from my job last year and used up a lot of my savings before I got a new job. In my new job, I’m considered an independent contractor so there’s no insurance provided, either medical or dental so I’m on my own. I’ve had a rough go lately and am sure I have some cavities. Plus, I think the stress has caused me to start clenching or grinding my teeth because my jaw hurts every morning. Is there a way to get affordable care without insurance?

Amanda

Dear Amanda,

You’ve been through quite a rough patch but it seems like things are starting to look back up for you. I know it’s hard when you don’t have dental insurance, but I want to steer you against just price shopping. There is an important difference between affordable dentistry and cheap dentistry.

When a dentist is unusually cheaper than other dentists there is usually a reason and one you won’t be thrilled with. One common reason for cheap prices is when a dentist is not good at their job and cannot retain clients, therefore they keep their prices super low in order to draw in new patients.

Another way they get their prices so low is by purchasing sub-par materials to make up their profit margin. Often, the procedure fails but not for months after it was completed. Unfortunately, the patient will have no idea it was because of the material the dentist used, so they end up spending more money.

Ways to Get Affordable Dentistry

You can do an internet search using the term “affordable dentist“. This won’t necessarily mean they are cheap, but they do their best to help patients get the care they need. Some will do payment plans through Care Credit. Others have discounts if you use cash.

You can purchase insurance plans without a company. They vary in price but are rarely more than $50 a month. Be aware that many have a waiting period for certain procedures, so if you are going to go that route make sure you do it sooner rather than later.

Teeth Clenching & Grinding

You are likely right about the teeth clenching and grinding. This needs to be dealt with. Fortunately, there is an easy solution. Your dentist can make you a custom-fitted mouth guard. This will protect your teeth from these actions, even while you are sleeping.

This is a serious issue. Not only can this habit lead to TMJ Disorder, but you can also crack your teeth (requiring a dental crown) or loosen them, putting them at risk of coming out.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Can I Get All My Work Done at Once?

Posted on April 13, 2019 by writeradmin.

I need a lot of dental work done. I need three root canal treatments with dental crowns and four other cavities to fill. I’d like to get it done all in one appointment to avoid multiple trips to the dentist. Sort of take a personal day at work and be done with it. Is that possible.

Elliot

Dear Elliot,

Woman asleep from dental sedation — Sedation dentistry is sometimes called sleep dentistry…for a reason.

You are a brave person. Most people try to avoid dental work and you’re ready to jump right in there all at once. Every dentist has different policies when it comes to how much work they are willing to do at once.

You will find that the dentists who are willing to do the most in one sitting are sedation detnists.

For the level of work you are looking at you’ll want a dentist who does oral conscious sedation. This will make you very sleepy. Most patients sleep through the appointment, which is in part why you can have so much done in one appointment.

However, the sedation is so strong you’ll need someone to drive you to and from your appointment. You’ll also need them to stay with you while you recoorperate throughout the day. You’ll want them there until you are lucid and able to easily get around.

Cosmetic Considerations

You’re having a lot of work done, including dental crowns. You didn’t say where the crowns were. In case they will be visible when you smile, I want you to be aware about coloring.

The color of the crowns created for your teeth undergoing the root canal treatment is permanent. If you are pleased with the current color of your teeth than there is nothing further to think about.

However, if you’ve ever toyed with the idea of whitening them, the time to do it is before your have your dental crowns made. This saves you the money of having to re-do them after you whiten them later.

I know you like doing things quickly, so ask your dentist about in-office teeth whitening. This whitens your teeth completely in just one appointment.

Best of luck to you.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.

Affordable Dentist for Practice?

Posted on October 8, 2018 by writeradmin.

I saw an ad for a dentist who is offering dental crowns at a discount because he has some new technology which allows him to create the crowns in one visit to his office. Is it safe to do this? I have a tooth in need of a crown, but I haven’t had the money to get it done.

Belinda

Dear Belinda,

An image of a crown being placed on a tooth

When is an affordable crown not worth it?

Your dentist is likely referring to a CEREC machine. This mills crowns in office. It’s probably safe if the dentist is willing to stand behind his work. I’d ask that ahead of time. If the crown doesn’t go well, will he replace it free of charge? Everyone has to learn a new procedure at some point and there will always be those first few cases.

Some things to consider is it will take him longer. He’s just learning how to place these so he’s not going to be efficient. That’s okay too. Just make sure you allow for more time than the procedure would normally take.

If you’ve put off this dental crown for a while, it’s important you get another x-ray done. You want to be sure the decay hasn’t spread and you’re not in need of a root canal. The last thing you need is for this to blow up into a dental infection, leaving you looking for an emergency dentist.

Ways to Get Affordable Dental Care

I’m not discouraging you from seeing this particular dentist on the condition that he’ll stand behind his work. However, there are always options when it comes finding an affordable dentist. Most, if not all affordable dentists, are willing to allow you to receive the treatment you need and then pay it out in reasonable installments. Others will offer alternative treatments which may be more within your budget or phased treatments.

Never feel trapped into doing something. The key is communication with a dentist. Most have entered this field because they want to help people. They’re compassionate and will work with you.

This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. John Weaver.