I’ve wanted a smile makeover ever since I was old enough to realize my smile was ugly. I have an overbite, which makes my front teeth practically cover my bottom teeth. They’re misshapen, some of them have small chips, and they’ve all got tetracycline stains. I saved for years to get the top of the line smile makeover. Now, when I finally tell my dentist, he tells me I can’t because of my overbite. Instead, he wants to do four to six crowns on my upper front teeth. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement. I just wanted to double check he had the right idea before I give up my dream.
Hazel L.
Dear Hazel,
Don’t give up your dream. Give up your dentist. I hope I’m not coming across harsh, but I want you to get the best smile possible. It sounds to me like your dentist is in over his head when it comes to cosmetic work so he’s made up some lame excuse to not have to admit he doesn’t know what he’s doing.
If you were to get porcelain crowns, he’d have to grind down your front teeth to nubs! Why get rid of all that healthy tooth structure? Plus, he’s talking about 4-6 crowns. Most smiles are much wider than that. Can you imagine how weird that would look beside tetracycline stained teeth? No. Don’t do this.
Your bite actually makes you a fine candidate for porcelain veneers. Your teeth are covering your bottom teeth. Crowns would have to surround your entire tooth, causing the dentist to have to beware of what he does on the back side, so it doesn’t negatively impact your bottom teeth. Porcelain veneers don’t go on the back of your teeth, just the front.
In your place, I’d look for a top of the line cosmetic dentist. Tetracycline stains are more challenging than most. The dentist will want to get the veneers to look bright, translucent, and natural, but still cover the stains. It will take someone with an advanced skill set and artistic eye to do that. Find a dentist who’s reached accreditation level with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). They’ll be your best bet and can certainly give you the gorgeous smile you’ve always dreamed of having. In fact, quite a few of them have a “beautiful smile guarantee“.
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