Teeth too short

[shaved teeth]

Hi, I recently had 3 implants done (took whole year to do) on my upper 3 front teeth.  

When the crowns were put on, the dentist shaved down my lower 4 front teeth to fit with the crowns.  I had my original dentist after about 7 months to shave down the back of the crowns, as they were a bit thick, but now my bite is off and my bottom teeth feel like "chicklets" (you know square pieces of little gum). They don't meet my crowns anymore.  

I can't live with thick teeth and I'm mad because, he should have made the crowns as close to my other teeth as possible, then shape my teeth to the crowns a bit.  He shaved about 1/4 in. off the bottom 4 front teeth.  I know, because we compared my first teeth impression, before implants, to my new impression after he shaved it.  There is a significant difference in size of teeth.  I'm having trouble talking, like I am grasping for teeth that was there, and isn't now.  I can't live with this.  I am so mad.

Can an orthodontist pull my teeth out a bit to lengthen them again, and if so, someone told me that will make those teeth unsteady and loose and then I will lose them?  Is this true, and is there any other options as well.

Thank you for your response.

[Jerome Bogin, D.D.S.]

This is a very difficult situation to give you an opinion in this forum. I couldn't begin to evaluate your mouth without examining you. I do believe that the lower teeth should not have been touched. I would suggest at this point to see another general dentist or a prosthodontist to evaluate your mouth.

[Jordy]

Wow, I am amazed that your dentist did such a thing.  The proper procedure for fitting crowns (for your future reference) is the dentist to "shave" ONLY the crown itself until it is fitted appropriately with the bite of all the other surrounding teeth.  And, to begin with, that crown is made from a mold taken before the tooth is prepped, and after, so that the crown is just as close to the original tooth dimensions as possible, so adjustments after the fact should be minimal.

This really should not have happened (as far as my own experience tells me) and there is no way to "pull out" shorter teeth so that they appear longer.  The only thing I could recommend is capping, crowing, or resin rebuilding of those bottom teeth to get them back where they belong.

But whatever you do, go to a new dentist.  You need a fresh set of professional eyes on that situation.

[mike1105]

"shaving" the opposing teeth is sometimes necessary if the bite is very tight. But with implants, if the bite was this tight, I suspect you either needed more involved bite reconstruction, or the case was not done well. You should not have the "checklet" feeling especially with implants. I would go to a prosthodontist for an opinion on this work

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