Getting a Diamond in Your Tooth

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Is it possible to get a diamond in your tooth the way Drake has or do you need to pull the tooth and put a dental implant with a diamond in there? How much does this cost?

P.

Dear P.

Montage of Drake with close ups of his smile

I am going to confess right up front that I had to look up Drake in order to understand your question. I came across this image that shows a pink diamond in one of his teeth and what looks like a clear diamond in another.

Is Drakes Tooth Natural or a Dental Implant?

Dentists are doctors and one of their maxims is to do no harm. Many dentists would not want to drill into a natural, healthy tooth. However, when it comes to cosmetic work, there are some gray areas. We want the tooth to look the way the patient wants it to look. Drake does not appear to have given much information on the procedure.

I don’t think it would be a dental implant unless he had to have the tooth extracted for some reason anyway. If it is not a natural tooth, my strong suspicion is that it would be a dental crown that had the diamond placed in it.

How Safe is the Procedure?

As long as it is done by a dentist, it would be fairly safe. If he tried to do it on his own, then there are a couple of risks. The first is that he permanently damages the tooth. The second is that he creates an area for breeding bacteria.

Is it Expensive?

Pink diamonds, like all diamonds, are priced on a few factors including intensity of the hue, its clarity, and the number of carats. This diamond, for a cursory glance, looks to be graded as “fancy” or “fancy light”. That would be less expensive than those with a more intense hue. Even so, he probably had to shell out a few thousand dollars, plus the cost of the dental crown or implant.

This blog is brought to you by Marietta Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

Will a Gum Drop Down on a Dental Implant

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I had a dental implant placed and am now wearing the temporary crown. The crown looks obviously fake and the gumline where I had the implant placed is higher than it is on my other teeth. My dentist said the gum may drop down while I am wearing the temporary crown. But, I’m unhappy overall with this whole thing. I paid quite a pretty penny for this and my smile looks worse than when I was just wearing a dental flipper. My questions are: Will my gum drop down? Will the permanent crown look more natural?

Daisy

Dear Daisy,

dental implant being placed in three stages

A dental implant is a great tooth replacement option, so as far as that choice goes, you made a good one. Let’s just hope your current dentist is up to the task. It is possible that your gum will drop down to reach the dental crown. If it doesn’t, I’ll give you the options you have. However, there is something more important I want to address first.

You need to insist the temporary crown look the way you want it before the permanent crown is made. If he is not up to that, then you may need to switch to a better dentist. Tell him the crown looks fake and you want him to re-do it.

Then, when it is the way you want and the permanent crown is ready, make sure you get to see it in your mouth BEFORE it is permanently bonded on. There is a temporary try in paste he can use to do that for you.

Now, regarding your gum line. I want you to look in a mirror and smile your biggest, widest smile. Are your gums visible when you do that? If so, you want them to be symmetrical. That means if they don’t drop down, you will need an additional procedure to get that worked on. Your dentist should arrange for that.

If they aren’t visible, then you may not want to mess with it.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have further questions.

This blog is brought to you by Marietta Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.

How Long Until a Dental Implant Can Be Placed?

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I’m trying to make some big decisions about a tooth. I had a dental crown done months ago which my dentist now thinks probably should have had a root canal treatment done, but now that there’s a crown it can’t be. He’s suggesting pulling the tooth and doing a dental bridge. I’m getting a second opinion to see if there is another option. I think if I do have to lose the tooth, I’d rather get a dental implant. However, I’ve just now gotten dental insurance and all procedures require a one year waiting period. Will my teeth start to shift in that long of a time period?

Kevin

Dear Kevin,

An image of a dental implant crown being placed in three stages

I’m a little concerned about the dentist you’re seeing. If you need a root canal treatment, you need one. It doesn’t matter if you have a crown. Saving the tooth is the priority. I’m glad you’re getting a second opinion. If at all possible, a tooth should be saved.

I also agree that a dental implant is a better option than a dental bridge, especially for a single tooth. To get a bridge would require both adjacent teeth be ground down for dental crowns. This is a waste of healthy tooth structure.

I’m not sure your dentist is looking out for your best interest as much as what is most convenient for him.

Getting a Dental Implant

Worst case scenario, your tooth has to be extracted. With a waiting period, my suggestion is you get a temporary replacement, like a dental flipper, until the waiting period passes. Even if you were to get the dental implant surgery right away, there is still a waiting period while the surgical site heals and the bone has time to integrate around the dental implant.

Once the healing is done, your dentist will place a dental crown on the implant. It’s like having a healthy, natural tooth again.

Dentists will place something there to hold the space open, just like you can do while you wait on your insurance.

This blog is brought to you by East Cobb Dentist Dr. Cristi Cheek.