Dental Advice Please

[pchivvy]

Hi
I have (and have had for a long time) a discoloured front tooth. It broke years ago and was partially rebuilt but as a result its discoloured.

Since Covid, I am faced with looking at myself on Zoom calls and its bothered me more and more and am wondering about getting it veneered/replaced (not really sure what my options are).

HOWEVER, I hate having dental work done (although I do go to the dentist regularly) and am really quite frightened at the thought of what this would involve and how painful it would be.

Can anyone offer any advice? I am going to the dentist next month and will be having a chat with them, but was interested in peoples views beforehand, particularly those like me that don’t particularly relish their visits to the ‘chair’.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

My 8 upper front teeth became a mess with erosion, fillings and discolouration.

As a result I had the 2 Incisors veneered where they just grind the very front of the tooth and stick on a veneer. Brilliant job and I was so pleased with them - until the one kept coming off. Had it cemented back on twice but the third time I cracked it!

In the end I have had my front upper 8 teeth all crowned.

Looks fine now

I would try a veneer and see how it goes.

Edit. Ref your issue on pain. No pain at all, takes about 30 mins in total. The only thing I hate is the gag reflex when they insert that tray with the blue putty type stuff on it to get the shape of what’s required for the Technician to make it.

[pchivvy]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

My 8 upper front teeth became a mess with erosion, fillings and discolouration.

As a result I had the 2 Incisors veneered where they just grind the very front of the tooth and stick on a veneer. Brilliant job and I was so pleased with them - until the one kept coming off. Had it cemented back on twice but the third time I cracked it!

In the end I have had my front upper 8 teeth all crowned.

Looks fine now

I would try a veneer and see how it goes.

Edit. Ref your issue on pain. No pain at all, takes about 30 mins in total. The only thing I hate is the gag reflex when they insert that tray with the blue putty type stuff on it to get the shape of what’s required for the Technician to make it.

See more...

Thank you- thats really helpful to know.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Pauline. Have you had a chat to the Dentist?

Reason I ask is my Daughter is 36 and when she was about 13 she was messing around at Youth Club and half of a front tooth snapped.

The Dentist built it back up with a white filling material and it looks as good now as the day he did it and its never been touched. Great job for what was an awful thing to happen especially to a Girl.

There is so much they can do now that was impossible 20 or 30 years ago.

[pchivvy]

I am going in to see them next month so will discuss it with them. I have avoided it previously as I just wasn’t sure I could go through with dental work that is not a necessity.

I think I will just have to admit to being scared to do it- I am sure I won’t be the first or the last!

[stecee]

My wife has recently had veneers to 6 of her front teeth. She didn’t like the experience at all and found it quite uncomfortable but according to her, the results are worth the discomfort.

[yozza1977]

Veneers and crowns are relatively destructive to a tooth. I would definitely discuss options with your dentist as it may be the tooth, the filling discoloured or both. options could include trying to whiten the tooth, replacing the existing filling to improve the aesthetics (a composite veneer may be possible, think composite bonding) or the more complex treatment of veneers/ crowns.
It all depends on where the discolouration is and what has caused it.

[VeryexcitedH]

My brother knocked my front tooth out when I was 7. This caused my adult tooth to grow discoloured. Hated it for years and had veneers put on both front teeth (to match) almost 15 years ago. I can't remember too much about the pain or discomfort but they were fabulous and I loved my smile again.

Last May I ate corn on the cob and the damaged tooth (the dentist said "I'd suffered trauma to my tooth!") plus the veneer it was wrapped in, snapped straight off leaving a stub tooth at the front. The dentist rebuilt the tooth with filling but I didn't dare bite with it in case it broke. It did look very good though. I could have lived with this indefinitely but it was certainly affecting how I ate, aesthetically it looked no different to my veneer.

In October I went through the process of having my tooth removed and an implant, this process started in August with X rays, scans and other things. I'm now 10 weeks post implant and for that time have used a denture to 'close the gap'. My implant was checked last Tuesday and was successful... Yay! I should have been moulded for the crown last Wednesday but I got Covid. I'll have my tooth by the end of February and I can't wait to eat a burger whole rather than quartered!

In all honesty, the process to remove the snapped tooth and then implant was not nearly as painful as I thought, it was just long at about an hour and a half.

I had the option of a denture but I'm only young and didn't like that idea. I've lived with it for 10 weeks and whilst it serves a purpose I couldn't have it long term. I couldn't have a crown due to the tooth being root filled because of the accident initially, it wouldn't necessarily hold long term and a bridge was out of the question really because the tooth next to it was veneered and the dentist was concerned about the integrity of it.

Happy to answer more questions about my experience.

[paw]

My DH also snapped a tooth off at the gum and as the teeth either side were compromised he couldn’t have a bridge and didn’t want a denture he finally opted for an implant. Leaving a gap was definitely not an option. After the tooth was taken out and extra bone put in he said never again - he’s dentist phobic. 9 months on you would never know he spent months looking awful and would do it again if needed.

DS smashed an adult tooth in half when he was 7, 40 years ago now. The dentist built it up and shone the blue light on it as a temporary measure. You really wouldn’t know it was repaired. It has never changed colour and went through years of wearing a brace without any problems. He had some minor repairs on it a couple of years ago when he managed to chip it but it was just a case of the blue light again.

[Hat]

Don't have experience of the work you want done but I am very anxious when going to the dentist. I go to a dentist which specialises in nervous patients. If I have any work done, even just a filling I have oral sedation first followed by intravenous sedation and then the injection to numb my mouth. Other patients have had hypnotherapy. They allow you to feel comfortable whether that's having sedation, putting earplugs in, having music on or not or even something to hold for comfort. It's definitely worth talking through any nervousness with the dentist as there maybe ways they can help make it easier for you to have it done