Crowns: How to Destroy a Tooth

Those of you who have been my patient for more than 20 years know that I have made every effort to enable you to keep every millimeter of beautiful, healthy tooth structure that I can. Another way of saying this is:

 I will not destroy tooth structure for MY personal, financial gain.

I have been perfecting my techniques to maintain and protect your tooth structure for more than two DECADES and I will challenge any dentist or dental school faculty who says that my techniques do not work or that they put YOU at risk.

The top photograph shows a tooth that had a relatively new porcelain onlay that failed when leakage caused massive tooth decay under the onlay. The nerve of this tooth will probably start to die and will require root canal therapy (Hopefully done by Root Canal Experts) in the relatively near future. My goal in treating this tooth at 6 PM on Wednesday evening was to restore this tooth as conservatively as possible and not further traumatize the nerve by removing additional tooth structure for a crown.

The bottom photo shows my completed direct bonded resin restoration…which your insurance company would call, " just a filling."  (And yes I left some extra bonding agent between my new restoration and the tooth to the left of it…UGGGG…I will remove it on the patient's next visit.)

My restoration is the BEST way to restore this incredibly traumatized tooth regardless of the cost or what other dentists will tell you.

DO NOT let dentists tell you that a crown will strengthen your tooth (unless it is a root canal treated tooth). Crowns WEAKEN teeth by removing the strongest part of a tooth (enamel) and should be treatment  of last resort.

I can tell you that my 401K plan really hates the fact that I do so few crowns on healthy teeth…but that is not YOUR problem.  You hire me to take care of you and place your best interest above my own.

(Note: I did not place the direct bonded fillings on either side of the tooth that I restored.)