Hi! My front teeth have decay and discoloration. I understand that the cavities must be drilled and filled. Since they’re on my front teeth, I was wondering if I should go to a cosmetic dentist or a general dentist. I am afraid that the bonding done won’t match the rest of my teeth, and I’d end up having spotted/yellow front teeth. My mother is very convinced that my current dentist is capable of performing the job. My dentist is really nice, but I don’t know how to make sure she is a certified cosmetic dentist. She has been my general dentist for many years.
Do cosmetic dentists also work as general dentists, or do they branch out and focus on only cosmetic dentistry?
If she does make a mistake on my teeth (ie: bonding material doesn’t match teeth), can a cosmetic dentist reverse this?
- Alicia in New York
Dear Alicia,
Yes, your family dentist can probably do the fillings in your front teeth and they will turn out okay. Dentists are taught in dental school how to do white fillings in front teeth, and if the decay isn’t too large, they should turn out fine. He or she should know the basics of color matching and how to do your fillings so they will hold up well. If the area involved for each spot is small, the exact color matching isn’t that critical. The color can be in the ballpark and if there is some translucency to the material, it should pick up the color of your teeth all right. So while an expert cosmetic dentist would probably do a nicer job for you, the difference wouldn’t be that critical for this type of procedure, and if you otherwise like your dentist, I’d stick with her.
Cosmetic dentists like Dr. Goldstein all will do general dentistry: cleanings, fillings, crowns, and all the rest. It’s just that we do everything using white, attractive materials, and with an artistic touch.
And, to your last question, yes, if there is a problem, an expert cosmetic dentist can go in and re-surface the fillings to match better.
Where general dentists get in trouble with the white fillings is in two situations:
- When there is a large area of the tooth to be covered, like say a third of the front of the tooth, or if there is a missing corner that has to be free-handed back into the correct shape. For large areas, the colors in the tooth have to be blended, and the filling needs a glossy surface in order to look right.
- In doing white fillings on back teeth. The technique for doing white fillings on back teeth is very different from front teeth, and it often isn’t taught in dental school.
Links to related information:
Dental bonding
Dr. Goldstein’s credentials and awards
Cleveland cosmetic dentist