Bonded tooth keeps breaking off

jenharvey_at_gmail.com
Date: 12/31/04 

Date: 30 Dec 2004 17:03:36 -0800

I have a front tooth with a discoloration that occurred when I was very
young. My dentist bonded it about a month ago with a "white filling."
After a week and half or so, the edge cracked off in my sleep. I went
back and had it redone, but two weeks later, it broke again in the same
place.

They weren't able to see me until after the holidays, so I went to
another recommended dentist to have it rebonded (I actually asked if
maybe there was some better solution than bonding, especially since
it's a front tooth). He said that bonding was definitely the best
solution for the tooth, but that the bonding had to cover the entire
tooth in order to avoid breakage at the edges. So, he bonded the entire
tooth from gum to bottom, making kind of a large tooth, but if it would
stay on, it was fine with me.

Well, this new, stronger bonding lasted a whole two days! I was talking
on the phone at work today when the whole thing fell off, it looked
like a white, pinkie-sized Lee Press-On nail. :)

So, my questions really are:

- Both dentists are very nice, but I'm now very wary--would it be wise
to see yet another dentist to get a third opinion?

- Is a cap a better option and if so, how the heck do I convince my
dentists that it's the best solution? (I had a cap put on as a teenager
and it stayed put for at least 11 years--the bonding has broken three
times in just 28 days).

- When I got the initial bonding, the dentist ground down the front of
my tooth a lot--can I still get a porcelain cap put on if there's a pit
there?

- Now that the second bonding has fallen off, it appears that some
bonding material has remained (only a small pit in the middle). My
tooth feels a lot more natural to me and actually doesn't look
abnormal, it just shows the discoloration and is a little
dull/not-shiny. Can I leave it this way for awhile (at this point, the
discoloration is more desirable to me than a cracked-looking shiny
white tooth) or will there be some problem because there may be enamel
missing in places?

I appreciate any advice you can spare, I am spending so much money and
time at the dentist, and it only seems to lead towards spending more
money and time at the dentist...

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