Am I a good candidate for tooth recontouring (enameloplasty)? (Photos)

Question

My teeth are slightly chipped and rough; I was wondering if I could get enameloplasty done instead of bonding or caps?

Sarah Thompson, DMD · Answer

Based on your photos and my ten plus years of experience, I would highly recommend getting full zirconia crowns and a night guard to use when sleeping.  You appear to have grinding issues, that subject your teeth to increased pressure and increased overall wear.  Zirconia crowns have about 80% the toughness/hardness of natural diamonds.  Zirconia is is used to make man-made diamonds, known as cubic zirconias.  I encourage you to find an excellent cosmetic dentist that has great before and after photos listed their Real Self profile and/or their website.  Good luck and I hope this helps. Follow me if you have more questions.Sarah Thompson, DMD

Brad Lockhart, DDS · Answer

Your issue is not purely cosmetic but also functional. In other words, you can fix the teeth cosmetically and end up with broken and or worn restorations because the cause of your compromised aesthetics was never addressed. You are obviously hyper functioning on your front teeth...why? The answer to this question requires extensive investigation. One of the most common causes of excessive anterior teeth wear is a compromised airway and/or TMJ. Your lower jaw obviously is more comfortable in a more protruded position, this is often the body's attempt at opening the airway and/or protecting the TMJ. If the cause of your excessive anterior teeth wear is a functional problem (involving teeth, bone and muscles) then the only solution to your problem is a functional solution, i.e. both teeth, bone and muscles have to be treated. If you only treat the teeth (cosmetic enhancement) then the case will ultimately end in failure. This is NOT a simple case and can not be successfully treated by any dentist. Your case must be treated by a dentist or dentists with extensive cosmetic experience and dental orthopedic experience. Good luck!

Norman Huefner, DDS · Answer

Well....yes and no.  Your front teeth can certainly be shortened with tooth reshaping, however, the real issue is after they are shortened will they look too small?  Are you considering just the front two teeth, or front four teeth?  An important thing to consider is that shorter teeth often give the smile "an older look", and that might be appropriate for an older person, but usually not for a younger person or someone who wants to look a little younger.So you see it is not just an issue of can it be done, but more importantly is it the best thing to do and will it look good after it is done?I suggest you make a consultation with a cosmetic dentist "who is a REAL COSMETIC DENTIST".  Many dentists "say" they are cosmetic dentists just because they do tooth colored restorations and some bonding or an occasional veneer, but have little or not advanced training in the area of cosmetic dentistry.  I recommend that you find a cosmetic dentist who has completed one of the advanced programs at LVI, AACD, etc.

Am I a good candidate for tooth recontouring (enameloplasty)? (Photos)

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Am I a good candidate for tooth recontouring (enameloplasty)? (Photos)

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Tooth Repair

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.