Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 10/18/2006

Question
Hi. This question is in regards to my 17 year old son. We have been told that he has a hereditary condition which causes the enamel on his teeth to deteriorate. The enamel is "chalky" and is really falling off his teeth at a very rapid rate, leaving big holes in his teeth. You can actually see pink material where the enamel used to be. We have tried fillings, which haven't even lasted 6 months and are now falling out. The dentist told us that the enamel is so bad that he really isn't sure if crowns will stay on. I don't have dental insurance and can't just throw away $700+ per tooth on crowns for trial and error. He has suggested dentures. BUT, my son is ONLY 17. Can you please give me ANY other suggestions that I could check into? Thank you so much, Cindi

Answer
Dear Cindi,

Although I'm inclined to give weight to the opinion of a dentist who has had the opportunity to see your son personally, I don't understand his explanation about why crowns might not work. Enamel has nothing to do with the suitability of a crown for a tooth-- in fact, all the enamel is intentionally stripped from a tooth prior to crown placement. Granted, a tooth that has had major structural damage to both enamel and the deeper dentin layers is sometimes beyond salvage. However, if the problem is confined to the enamel, this would/should not rule out the use of crowns to structurally restore the teeth and protect them from further deterioration.

I would suggest that you seek a second opinion.

Good luck!

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY