Milwaukee Tooth Enamel Tetracycline Damage
Porcelain Cosmetic Enamel Replacement Dentistry
A variety of some common and uncommon dental treatment problems associated with enamel damage are discussed in detail on the Enamel Damage page.
In cases where Tetracycline damage is extraordinarily severe, even the most traditional methods of cosmetically treating the dark stains will either be insufficient at the start…. or prove to be inadequate at a later date… which could require retreatment.
In our office, we focus on the longevity of choices of treatments, striving to help patients select the treatment that makes the most sense… in terms of providing the functional or cosmetic results they want…. that will last for years and years to come.
This patient was always unhappy with her smile. Like many other people who have had dark stains caused by tetracycline antibiotic treatments during their developmental years, she too tried a variety of popular teeth whitening products.
She too eventually learned that traditional teeth whitening products had no effect on her appearance.
Tetracycline Enamel Damage The characteristic banding of the patient’s tooth enamel represents the age of the patient as the tetracycline affected her dentition during different developmental stages.
Despite having meticulous oral hygiene habits, she nonetheless developed an abscess, represented in the adjacent pre-treatment photo, a clearly visible red bump on her lower left quadrant.
The abscess caused extensive damage to one tooth, requiring removal. The patient preferred treatment with a bridge rather than a dental implant.
Crowns Versus Porcelain Veneers Makeover
Porcelain veneers, the patient’s primary choice of treatment, is a popular makeover product that requires consideration of two primary objectives of the treatment.
The quality of being capable of blocking out undesirable colorations or stains of the underlying tooth structure, coupled with the predictability for long term success. It is not uncommon for properly treated veneer cases to last for 10 years or more.
In our office we assess the success of proposed veneer treatments for each and every patient. Patients learn the importance of achieving not only a long lasting treatment but maintain the overall tooth color and shading goals desired.
Due to the severity of the staining and banding characteristics, Dr. Winter determined that veneers of any time, including the now famous No Prep Veneer would be ineffective, both in the short term and long term.
Significant tooth preparation would be needed to remove the deep stains. Premium grade porcelain crowns are the only restorative product that can provide the amount and depth of porcelain needed to block out this degree of staining.
Porcelain crowns would also provide the added advantage of re-creating tooth sizing relationships that would be more harmonious with her facial features and jaw structure.
Diagnostic waxups and temporaries enabled the patient to select individual crown structures for teeth that were genetically triangular in shape. Dr. Winter and his ceramist hand crafted new restorations that established a fullness to her upper and lower jaw that provided new underlying support for her lips and mouth structure.
Her lips are fuller and are more prominent rather than being flat in appearance. Smiling is more natural and spontaneous and most certainly requires no observable effort…. as it once did.
As with all of Dr. Winter’s restorative and cosmetic procedures, he maintains a watchful eye on overall occlusion and bite characteristics. In our patient’s case… her bite was altered slightly which helped reverse the appearance of a collapsing bite.
Total treatment included 6 maxillary crowns and 8 mandibular crowns (upper and lower crowns, respectively) along with a custom fitted bridge for replacing the extracted tooth.
The patient was thrilled with the outcome. The extra efforts of Dr. Winter and the ceramics lab enabled her to acquire an aesthetically balanced smile. Her midline (line between two front teeth) is centered.
Our patient was thrilled with the treatment and cosmetic outcome. Smiling broadly requires no effort as it once had. The impact upon her self confidence is readily apparent in our last post treatment photo. She looks younger…. and feels younger.
Call 414-464-9021 for information on any of our services.
Check out our Dental Blog >>
Read our Patient Case Studies >>
Hampton Dental Associates is proud to offer affordable dentistry programs to help you regain your perfect smile.
Learn more about our affordable dentistry options.
