What Should Implant Crowns Look Like?

I saw a patient last week for a consultation regarding implants to replace some missing teeth.  As these teeth would be displayed in her smile, she was really concerned with whether the final crowns would look like real teeth. According to her. she has been putting off implant treatment because she has heard so many horror stories about complications and the "fake" look of implant crowns. My patient's concern is completely legitimate.  Implant treatments carried out with improper planning and coordination between the implant placements and the final crowns can result in unattractive results.  To avoid unfavorable outcomes, ask your dentists to show you their before and after cases of actual patients.  Moreover, as a patient you should have a clear understanding of the necessary steps involved from beginning to end.

Beautiful crowns which mimic real teeth require a multi-dimensional construction of bone, gum, and teeth.  When it comes to the esthetic of the anterior teeth, just remember one simple rule:  Crowns, Bridges, Veneers,  should all look like your real teeth.

Here is a case of front teeth that I have completed for one of my patients.  Can you tell which one is a conventional crown, and which one is an implant crown?  In reality, no one would ever look at your teeth at this close a magnification. Nonetheless, I would always choose to address all details in order for the restorations to come to life in your smile.

All Images of actual patients of Alex Nguyen, DDS are Copyrighted and Digitally Embedded to track Unauthorized Use.

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.

Our Philosophy of Practice When It Comes to Cosmetic Dentistry

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.

Cosmetic or Simply ... Form Follows Function?

Years of bite discrepancies caused this patient to wear down her teeth.  In her smile, one can hardly see any teeth showing.

Here is how the teeth look after 50+ years of wear and tear:

With proper diagnostic records and planning, we restored her bite to the original state, starting with these acrylic temporary restorations:

Here is a sneak peak of her final restorations.  Stay tuned for complete case photos.

Fine quality dentistry is simply to respect and restore nature's  functional creation of the dentition.

All Images of actual patients of Alex Nguyen, DDS are Copyrighted and Digitally Embedded to track Unauthorized Uses.

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.

A New Smile a New Makeover!

Meet patient Kari at our Makeover Photo Shoot today.  Photographed on location in Saratoga and at my office. Smile Design by Alex H Nguyen, DDS.  www.saratogadentalspa.com

Hair and Makeup by Armando Sarabia www.getyourdoup.com

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.

Do you like Lumineers?

I personally don't. The makers of Lumineers target the psychology that people do not want their tooth structure removed for porcelain veneers work.  With this technique, thin layers of opaque white porcelain pieces simply get bonded on top of the existing teeth; Very little to no tooth structure is removed.

Unfortunately, to make porcelain veneers look good, the ceramist really need to layer different shades of porcelain to create the life-like look of a real tooth.  Shade progression and translucency characteristics on a tooth must be present on the porcelain in order for the final result to look real.

Lumineers, being monochromatic in nature, cannot give you that realistic look.  Well...that only matters if you want your smile to look real.

When you consult with your cosmetic dentist, ask to see photos of actual cases that were done by the same dentist.  After a few consultations, you will have a better perception of good cosmetic dentistry versus bad cosmetic dentistry.

It is all about making a conscious informed decision.

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Alex Nguyen, DDS is a Saratoga Dentist who practices General Dentistry, Cosmetic, and Implant Dentistry. For over 20 years the practice has been serving the residents of Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bay Area.