Is it time to upgrade your smile? If your teeth are healthy but the dental work in them is older, the answer may be yes. Silver fillings darken, bonding picks up stains, crowns stop matching the teeth beside them and gaps from lost teeth let neighbors drift. None of that means the original work was done badly. Dental work ages, and the mouth around it changes. This guide walks through the signs that older dental work is due for an update and how Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS approaches those upgrades in Timonium.
Dental work ages, even when it was done well
Fillings, crowns, bonding and bridges live in a hard-working environment. They are chewed on, exposed to hot and cold drinks, and cleaned (or missed) every day. Over the years, materials can wear, chip or stain, and the teeth and gums around them change too. An upgrade can be purely cosmetic, such as swapping a dark filling for a tooth-colored one, or it can protect a tooth that older work is no longer protecting well.
The useful question is not how old a piece of dental work is, but whether it still looks right, feels right and keeps the tooth underneath healthy. An exam answers the last part. The signs below help with the first two.
Signs your smile is due for an upgrade
Silver fillings that show when you laugh
Older amalgam fillings are dark, and they can make back teeth look gray when you open wide. The practice is mercury-free and never places amalgam fillings. Tooth-colored composite fillings bond to the tooth and blend in, and when a tooth needs more support than a filling can give, a bonded onlay or a crown may be the better choice. Read white fillings vs. silver fillings for a closer look at the materials, and see the practice’s approach to mercury-free dentistry.
A dark line at the edge of an older crown
Some older crowns were built with a metal layer under the porcelain. As years pass, that edge can show as a gray line near the gums. The practice specializes in all-ceramic, tooth-colored crowns, each made to replicate the color and translucence of your natural teeth. Whether a crown should be replaced depends on its fit and the health of the tooth, which Dr. Haywood checks before recommending anything. Learn about dental crowns.
Bonding that has stained or chipped
Composite bonding is a quick and affordable way to repair chips and close gaps, but composite resin can stain and is not as strong as enamel. If older bonding has yellowed or its edges have chipped, it can be redone, or the tooth may be a candidate for porcelain, which resists stains better than natural teeth or composite and does not break as easily. See dental bonding and porcelain veneers.
Crowns or veneers that no longer match
Natural teeth can change shade over time, and whitening lightens natural enamel but not porcelain or composite. If you have whitened your teeth, or they have darkened with age, older crowns and veneers may now stand out. The usual order is to whiten natural teeth first and then match any new porcelain to the brighter shade. Read teeth whitening with crowns, veneers or bonding.
A gap where a tooth used to be
A missing tooth is more than a space in your smile. Neighboring teeth can tilt into the gap over time. Dental implants replace the root as well as the tooth, and implant bridges can replace several teeth in a row. Implants are planned, placed and restored in the same Timonium office. See dental implants in Timonium.
Teeth that have shifted since braces
If you straightened your teeth years ago and some have drifted, a full course of treatment may be more than you need. Invisalign Express is a thrifty way to achieve minor tooth movements. For teeth that look crooked but do not need to move, instant orthodontics uses veneers, bonding, crowns and tooth and gum reshaping in as little as one or two visits. Explore orthodontic options.
Teeth that look shorter than they used to
Grinding slowly wears down and cracks enamel, and worn front teeth can make a smile look older. The bite is evaluated first, because restoring worn teeth without addressing the grinding puts new work at risk. A clear, custom-made bite guard helps protect teeth from further wear. For more, read veneers for worn teeth.
Upgrade one piece, or plan the whole smile?
Some upgrades are single, simple fixes: one filling, one chipped edge, one crown. Others make more sense as a plan, especially when several older pieces of work sit side by side and need to match. An ultimate smile makeover combines treatments in a customized plan. In some cases dramatic results come from treating just a few teeth; in others, every tooth is addressed to produce the most appropriate bite and overall look.
Neither approach is better by default. What matters is that each upgrade fits the teeth around it, both in color and in how the bite comes together.
The order upgrades usually follow
- Check health first. Old fillings and crowns can hide decay at their edges, and gums need to be healthy before new work is placed. A thorough exam with digital X-rays comes first.
- Look at the bite. Grinding, worn teeth and signs of TMJ trouble are evaluated, since the bite affects how long new work holds up.
- Move teeth if needed. If teeth need to shift, Invisalign can move them before any veneer or crown work begins.
- Whiten natural teeth. Whitening comes before new tooth-colored work so the new shade can be matched.
- Replace visible work. Fillings, crowns, bonding or veneers are updated to match the new shade and shape.
- Protect it. Bite protection is recommended for cosmetic work, along with good home care and regular professional visits.
See the upgrade before you commit
A before-and-after demonstration is part of every cosmetic evaluation. With cosmetic imaging, digital photographs of your smile are changed on the imaging computer, so you and Dr. Haywood can plan the changes together. If veneers are part of the plan, you also evaluate a “test drive” set before the final veneers are made. Treatment starts only when you approve the plan.
Upgrades that keep more of your natural tooth
An upgrade does not have to mean more drilling. When a filling or a bonded onlay will do the job, that is recommended before a crown, because it keeps more of your healthy tooth. Many veneers do not require grinding down the whole tooth, and if you qualify, prepless veneers preserve most, if not all, of your natural enamel. For more on this approach, read less is more in dentistry.
Cost, insurance and financing
Every case is different, so your fee is set after an assessment and explained before treatment begins. Replacing work that protects a damaged tooth may be viewed differently by your insurance plan than a purely cosmetic change. The practice is out of network with insurance companies: you pay at the time of service, and the office files the claim so your plan can reimburse you for anything it covers. HSA and flex plans are welcome, and staging treatment can help if you use a flex spending account. Financing is available through CareCredit, with no-interest options for up to 12 months, and Cherry, with plans from 3 to 24 months.
Frequently asked questions
Should I replace silver fillings that don’t hurt?
Not every old filling needs to be replaced right away. The decision depends on the filling’s condition, the tooth around it and your goals for how your smile looks. Dr. Haywood can show you the fillings on screen and explain what needs attention now and what can safely wait.
Can old crowns or veneers be whitened?
No. Whitening works on natural tooth enamel, not porcelain or composite. If older crowns or veneers no longer match, they can be replaced after your natural teeth are whitened so the new work matches.
Will a new crown match my other teeth?
Crowns are made from high-quality porcelain and crafted personally for you from impressions of your teeth, replicating the color and translucence of your natural teeth.
How long does an upgrade take?
It depends on the work. Bonding can be completed in a single visit. Crowns are usually completed in two appointments. A smile makeover that combines treatments can be completed in as few as two visits, while plans that include implants or tooth movement take longer.
Upgrade your smile in Timonium
If your dental work is showing its age, find out which upgrades your smile needs and in what order. See all the options on the cosmetic dentistry in Timonium page, then request an appointment or call (410) 453-9399. The office of Dr. Steven W. Haywood, DDS is at 108 W Timonium Rd, Ste 200, Timonium, MD 21093, serving Timonium, Towson, Lutherville and Baltimore.
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Find out which of your older dental work is due for an upgrade.
