Full Mouth Reconstruction for Whiter

Posted by writeradmin

I have one dental crown and one porcelain veneer that I had done years ago. It’s time for them to both be replaced. I talked to my dentist about it. He’s not the original dentist. That dentist I saw when I lived in a different state. He told me because my teeth are not really white anymore, and I’m ashamed to admit he is right, that I should have all my teeth crowned. I’m a bit worried about this idea because the remainder of my teeth are healthy. I thought he could match the new veneer and crown to my current tooth color. I wish they were whiter and I could get them whitened. Is there something important I’m missing here? I know I’m not a dentist.

Penny

Dear Penny,

Please, please do not let this dentist anywhere near your teeth. You have more sense than he does. I’m going to be generous and say he is incompetent rather than unethical or a crook. The solution for stained teeth is teeth whitening, just as you suggested. With teeth whitening, your dentist may earn a few hundred dollars. But, with crowning all your teeth, known as a full mouth reconstruction, he would rake in between $30,000 to $60,000.

Even if you did need a full mouth reconstruction, I don’t think this dentist is the one to do it. This is one of the most advanced procedures in dentistry and your dentist seems uncomfortable with even doing a porcelain veneer. If this procedure is done improperly, it could cause your bite to be thrown off, leading to painful TMJ Disorder.

You would want someone with extensive post-doctoral training. Look for someone who has trained with institutions like the Dawson Academy or the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies.

In the meantime, get teeth whitening done and then find a different dentist to replace your dental crown and your porcelain veneer.

This blog is brought to you by Mt. Dora Dentist Dr. Michelle Stillman.