My dentist wants to put crowns on 6 of my upper front teeth that have metal on the back side of them. Advice?

I recommend you get a second opinion from a cosmetic dentist who uses modern,  all-ceramic materials like eMax to have anterior crowns done. Make sure that there is not a more conservative way to treat your case like porcelain veneers where your lower enamel can still make contact with your upper inside enamel since veneers do not replace the underside part of the tooth like a crown does. maybe a combination of crowns on the canines to establish the bite and guidance and veneers on the incisors is an option.Do more research before letting anyone grind your 6 teeth down for crowns!

Hello and thank you for your question. There are several steps in creating proper crowns.  After preparing the tooth, a provisional crown (Temporary) should be made. Tooth length, size, shape, etc. should all be tried in the provisional phase and any corrections made then.  The permanent crown is then made using the provisional crown as a blueprint in order to ensure that the final restoration (permanent crown) matches the shape, position and color of surrounding teeth to make sure you like the results. I recommend following up with your dentist about any questions you have about their recommendation or seek out a second opinion with a Prosthodontist, who can discuss with you the different types of crowns to give you the best long-term results. A Prosthodontist is a dental specialist who has advanced training in restoring teeth and can create a customized treatment using the latest techniques in dental crowns.

There are many factors that go into the choice of dental materials for restorations.  Years ago porcelain to metal was the esthetic choice for crowns.  There have been so many advances in dental materials since then that it is rarely necessary to make crowns in this manner.  Metal-free materials can produce crowns that are more esthetic, more natural in their appearance, and still very durable.  Hope that helps.

Hi:Please inquire why Zirconium or emax crowns are not being used.  Please post photo and X-ray for more accurate advice.Best,Dr. Maddahi

An old fashioned way to restore teeth was with PFM crowns (porcelain fused to metal).  Modern materials have made this product obsolete in most offices.  100% porcelain veneers are a more esthetic option that is also more conservative (preserves tooth structure).  Modern materials require modern methods (bonded porcelain instead of cemented metal), so finding a dentist that is current in training is important.  I would also discourage only six veneers.  For a smile, 8-10 veneers is standard.