Cavity On A Porcelain Veneer Tooth

I have porcelain veneers on four teeth. One of them now has a cavity and my dentist wants to remove the porcelain veneer and replace it with a dental crown. Is that absolutely necessary?

Dana

Dear Dana,

Porcelain veneer being placed on a tooth

I am going to recommend you get a second opinion on this for a few reasons. First, in order for a tooth to need a dental crown for decay, the amount of decay would have to be pretty substantial. I would say over 20% of the tooth would have to be decayed to justify needing a dental crown. If that is not the case, then why would he recommend one?

The most likely reason is that he is not comfortable treating a cavity with porcelain veneers. The margin is where a tooth with porcelain veneers is most susceptible to decay. If that is where your cavity is he may not have the tools or skills to bond the composite to a porcelain veneer.

That leads me to the second reason you need another opinion. If he’s recommending a crown unnecessarily, then his cosmetic skills are limited. This does not bode well for the crown either.

I would say only about 2% of dentists can match a dental crown on a front tooth to a porcelain veneer. In fact, You would need one of the best cosmetic dentists around, like an AACD accredited dentist. If he is pushing you toward a crown, he is not the dentist to do the work.

Getting a Second Opinion

I’d like you to see an expert cosmetic dentist and have them look at the tooth with the cavity. It is important you make this a blind second opinion. By that, I mean do not tell him who your dentist is or what the diagnosis and recommendation were. If he or she asks, tell them you are keeping that to yourself in order to get an unbiased opinion.

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