Can they add porcelain to my crown without damaging it?

I broke my front teeth in an accident years ago. After years of suffering with tooth pain, I had them pulled and dental implants placed. That procedure went fine. But I am having trouble with the porcelain crown (and the veneers on the adjoining teeth which I was told to have done to assure a consistent looking smile). My first dentist did a horrible job. But now I’m concerned about the work of the second dentist. The crowns and veneers are too white, and the crowns don’t have the shape I requested. My dentist said the color can be changed, and that they can add some porcelain to the crowns to shape them properly. As a layman, it doesn’t seem like the color can be changed after they are already done, and I’m afraid that the “added” porcelain will chip off. Should I refuse delivery on the crowns and veneers and require them to be re-made, or can they be fixed as my dentist represents? Thank you for any insight you can provide.
- Jayne in Virginia

Jayne,
As long as the crowns haven’t been cemented in your mouth, they can be changed in any way without harming their integrity. They can have porcelain added or taken away, the color can be lightened or darkened, or they can have any other change. Then the porcelain is put back in the oven and baked, and it all melds together into one cohesive restoration.

Most general dentists would not let you look at your porcelain crowns and porcelain veneers so closely before cementing on the crowns, so I would commend your dentist for his or her care in this. We are taught in dental school that the dentist knows best, and many will not seek the patient’s input as much as it appears your dentist is. So I’d stick with this approach and hopefully you’ll end up with the shape and color you want, and a beautiful smile.

What you are experiencing is often standard operating procedure when a dentist is fussy about the appearance of porcelain work. We do the same kind of thing in our office when the work comes back from the lab and the patient isn’t fully satisfied with how it looks.

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