Flourosis / Stain, options and insurance?

positron

I have really badly stained teeth - either from meds (tetracycline) that I took when I was young, or from swallowing too much toothpaste (!!). In either case, it looks horrible, and it's really getting to me lately, after all these years.

Just wondering how insurance works for my situation - I have normal Aviva plan from work (Plan B?), and I can upgrade to a better one if required. I have consulted various dentists and general opinion is that the porcelain veneers won't do the job, and that I would need crowns put in to get any significant improvement. As you can imagine that's very expensive here, or I can get it done for around 200 euro per teeth outside the country as well - but I would prefer to do it here, if possible.

Just wondering how insurance works in this sort of situation. Apart from the visual aspect, I was told they are wearing out real fast, but other than that, there are no other issues at the moment - no pain, no holes, no fillings etc.

Thanks for reading!!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

A 200 euro veneer or crown is going to look like a bag of crap, seriously, dental cosmetics is difficult and time consuming, anyone that preps, impresses in one go then give the lab 4 days to construct a bunch of crowns is going to be poor quality, you know this already, there are no short cuts or bargains.

If you willing to put in the effort and time deep bleaching can work plus of minus crowns afterwards. Insurance will be of no assistance as this is not covered under normal VHI, Aviva etc.

positron

Grady Itchy Crab wrote: »

If you willing to put in the effort and time deep bleaching can work plus of minus crowns afterwards. Insurance will be of no assistance as this is not covered under normal VHI, Aviva etc.

Thank you, I was afraid of this. I couldn't really afford to crown 8 top and 8 bottom teeth in Ireland - which I was told could cost upwards 20k - is way out of what I want to spend (or afford to be honest). So if insurance definitely won't cover it, I am out of luck here really.

Grady Itchy Crab wrote: »

A 200 euro veneer or crown is going to look like a bag of crap, seriously, dental cosmetics is difficult and time consuming, anyone that preps, impresses in one go then give the lab 4 days to construct a bunch of crowns is going to be poor quality, you know this already, there are no short cuts or bargains.

Lets not judge the quality of their work by the price tag. You have to look at the geographic location and their operating costs, and why they are where they are etc. This particular dentist I have spoken to, lived and studied here in Dublin, got degree and awards with Royal College of Surgeons here and he also worked here for little over a decade, before moving back to his own country (don't worry, I won't name names or paces). I have seen work too, and I would have no problem trusting him, but distance, multiple visits etc does introduce a level of inconvenience and risk, and it would still cost me around 5-8k over all, and I was hoping there's a better way, but may be not.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

positron wrote: »

Lets not judge the quality of their work by the price tag. You have to look at the geographic location and their operating costs, and why they are where they are etc. This particular dentist I have spoken to, lived and studied here in Dublin, got degree and awards with Royal College of Surgeons here and he also worked here for little over a decade, before moving back to his own country (don't worry, I won't name names or paces). I have seen work too, and I would have no problem trusting him, but distance, multiple visits etc does introduce a level of inconvenience and risk, and it would still cost me around 5-8k over all, and I was hoping there's a better way, but may be not.

Let judge it on two thing, firstly the number of people I see requiring remedial treatment after this stuff (all posted and documented on this forum) and the number of law suits myself and others are caught up in. Having said that there are good dentists everywhere, however when a dentist accepts compromised treatment protocol because that time is limited (as is necessary when somebody is there for a week or maybe two week) you have to cut major corners. 8 crowns top and same on the bottom would take a conscientious dentist about 9 visits over about 4 months as follows.

1. Assessment, planning etc.
2. Diagnostic impressions for waxup and bleaching. Hygiene
3. Prebleaching.
4. Allow colour to settle for 1 month.
5. Preps and temps, allow 2-3 weeks for gum healing.
6. Impressions
7. Lab work 3- 4 weeks.
8. Try in and correction.
9. Fit.
10. Review and continued maintenance.

My experience of this speed dental work that disrespects healing times, and disrespects the technicians requirement of time to complete work is that it is mostly not ideal, and often far worse. This is irreversable dental work, a bad job will look bad and cause you serious issues for the rest of your life, if you cannot afford to have it done properly dont do anything. The pic below is from a dental tourism clinic who has all the technology, and the dentist claim all kinds of superior qualifications (this is not a isolated case either). Full mouth of crowns in two visits each costing more than 200 a unit. If this sort of aesthetic result is what your after (never mind the huge issues with decay, gum inflammation and nerve problems) then you need to aim higher. A crown is not a crowns nomatter who does it or how much it costs, however regardless of the cost the time it takes is the same for every dentist (unless you cut corners).

Just bleach your teeth, it will take 4-6 months of deep bleaching but it will improve them and you wont have to cut the living daylights out of them.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Here is a tetracycline case I did with bleaching, watch the crown on the front tooth which doesnt bleach as a standard candle.

Is the final result perfect...no but with twice the time it would be better again. At least the teeth dont look black and there is no restorations on the teeth that need constant replacement.

I doubt yours is as bad as this.

positron

Thanks Grady Itchy Crab, that was a very informative post, and I totally see your point of view now.

Grady Itchy Crab wrote: »

This is irreversable dental work, a bad job will look bad and cause you serious issues for the rest of your life, if you cannot afford to have it done properly dont do anything.
...
Just bleach your teeth, it will take 4-6 months of deep bleaching but it will improve them and you wont have to cut the living daylights out of them.

If there is no two ways about not getting insurance cover, and since I can absolutely not afford (unless I win lotto etc) to do it in Ireland, so I might just do nothing at all as all dentists (here and outside) have told me bleaching wont really help me - I will try and find out again deep bleaching is an option.

PS: An advantage I have to go to the said dentist is that I would be visiting there once or twice a year anyway (family), so he need not rush the process with me, which I understand may not be the case for vast majority of 'dental tourism' type visits - so anyway, that's a unique situation, which I probably should have mentioned earlier than this.

positron

Grady Itchy Crab wrote: »

I doubt yours is as bad as this.

Thanks again, that certainly gives me hope. And would you believe, mine is about as bad as that really - no exaggeration.

PS: I will try and take a photo over the weekend, and post here - I should probably add a "NSFL" tag on top of this thread.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

positron wrote: »

Pso he need not rush the process with me, which I understand may not be the case for vast majority of 'dental tourism' type visits -

Quality is not a tap you can just turn on and off, its a mindset and it comes at a price in every country. A quality orientated dentist will charge more and spend more time, and employ better laboratory work. There simply are quality differences that are not readily appreciable to people. BTW bleaching would cost a fraction of crowns in ireland, your 99 euro groupon bleaching wont touch tetracycline teeth so forget that one. Unless you really want 16 teeth filled to spikes and cheap crowns cemented to them.

Dianthus

Forget about cost& qualifications for a minute, OP. Just look at the photos posted up by FitzGeme after bleaching- yes the cosmetics are dramatically improved, but even more importantly, look at the structure of the teeth themselves. There has been NO loss of tooth structure.
Why on earth would you pay someone to remove >50% of each individual (& presumably intact, filling-free) tooth in order to crown it, when there is a far less destructive alternative that completely respects the biology of your tooth& ensures it will survive the onslaught of daily function over the next 40/50 years of your life?
They're your teeth, but I know the option I'd be choosing as a first-line measure. (& if, after 6 months of bleaching, you're not happy, you still have crowns as a backup option)