Shinnonhyeon Dental Clinic: A Case of Replacing a Black Front Tooth Crown for a Foreign Patient

There’s a swelling on my tooth!!!

Shinnonhyeon Dental Clinic

A woman in her 30s, a foreign patient who recently came to us through a friend’s recommendation, said this as her very first words.

Because she said it was inflammation, I thought, “Is her gum swollen?” But when I looked, I found that an old PFM restoration was exposed on the outside and appeared black, and she had mistaken that for inflammationㅎㅎ

촬영 : 251015

The patient came to our clinic through a friend’s recommendation.

That friend had also recently received treatment from us, and apparently recommended us by saying, “There’s a place that does front teeth well.”

Even when languages are different, I was reminded once again that “good treatment speaks for itself”ㅎㅎ

It made me realize once again that the importance of a beautiful smile matters anywhere in the world.

Thank you to those who made the long trip after seeing our blog🙏🏻

Five Problems We Found Shinnonhyeon Dental Clinic

| 1) The gums look dark |

촬영 : 251015

The patient’s front teeth were covered with a material called PFM.

PFM stands for Porcelain Fused Metal, a restoration made by placing porcelain (white ceramic) over metal.

As you can see, the metal layer underneath becomes visible over time as the gums gradually recede, making the border area look dark.

| 2) Made as a bridge |

촬영 : 251015

The four front teeth were all connected together as one bridge.

촬영 : 251015

Although it may look strong on the outside, it actually presses on the gums uncomfortably and makes hygiene between the teeth difficult, so whenever possible, it is better to make them as separate single crowns.

(* I also very occasionally make them connected as a bridge, but in those cases, it is used only in limited situations, such as when the gums are in very poor condition or the teeth are short and there is a risk of them coming off.)

| 3) Unattractive restoration color |

PFM is opaque, so it did not blend with the color of the natural teeth and gave an awkward impression.

It clearly gave the feeling that the teeth had been “covered.”

촬영 : 251015

Also, the boxed area had a noticeably more yellow tone, and the patient said that she did not like that.

| 4) A bulky-looking shape |

촬영 : 251015

She said she did not like how bulky the back line of the front teeth looked.

From my perspective, the center of the front teeth had no volume and looked flat, and as she said, the edge line connected directly to the neighboring teeth, making them look bulky and even larger.

| 5) Misalignment between the face and the dental axis |

You might not notice it at first glance.

If you draw lines like this, you can see the misaligned axis.

A Plan That Restores Both Aesthetics and Function Shinnonhyeon Dental Clinic

We made the treatment plan like this.

After removing the existing bridge, we planned to compensate for the tooth length with crown lengthening surgery (gum resection), and then individually fabricate four zirconia crowns with high translucency and no visible metal.

Zirconia VS PFM

Zirconia has no metal, so it does not turn dark over time, making it very aesthetic.

Also, because it is highly translucent, it can reproduce color in a way that is so aesthetic it is hard to distinguish from natural teeth^^

Why perform crown lengthening?

We decided to proceed for these reasons: to extend the gum line, ① hide the bluish border line, and ② make the overall appearance more harmonious aesthetically.

And since this patient also had crown (tooth crown) fracture and cavities, it was a necessary step considering those issues.

Even though the language was not fully shared, we used photos and a real mirror together to explain the shape and color, and worked through each detail one by one for a good resultㅎㅎ

A Careful Approach to Preserve the Teeth Shinnonhyeon Dental Clinic

Removing the existing restoration was more difficult than expected.

촬영 : 251022

The metal was thick and strongly bonded. Even so, we separated it while minimizing damage to the teeth.

촬영 : 251022

After that, we shaped the teeth for the restoration fabrication and adjusted the gum line with crown lengthening to secure enough length.

Then we discussed the color using a shade guide.

촬영 : 251022

The patient said she wanted the brightest shade, A1. I explained that the surrounding teeth were a bit darker, so there might be a noticeable color difference, and she agreed.

A Smile Completed with Natural Color and Shape Shinnonhyeon Dental Clinic

촬영 : 251030

In the end, the completed zirconia crowns allowed light to pass through, creating a natural translucency.

The change was so great that it was hard to believe the previous dark border area had ever been there.

I still remember the moment the patient looked in the mirror and smiled brightlyㅎㅎ Because the crowns were made individually, flossing was possible, and I also explained how to use it.

I also explained that the gum line would become even more natural over time as it gradually stabilizedㅎㅎ

The tilted tooth axis was also adjusted so that it faced the front of the face.

촬영 : 251015 / 251030

The patient had been worried that she might not like the restoration, but she was very satisfied, so this was a truly rewarding case^^

A common language that works anywhere in the world,

that is a confident smile. Shinnonhyeon Dental Clinic

A design that lets each tooth breathe instead of using a bridge, and a crown design that achieves both aesthetics and function—this is not just cosmetic work, but a process of restoring confidence.

Even today, I will continue creating smiles with sincerity so that all the patients who come to see me can smile brightly😊

This has been Dr. So Hyun-su of Jaejulgon Dental Clinic. Thank you.

👇🏻 Quick Reservation 👇🏻

👇 Recommended reads 👇

• Depending on the individual, symptoms such as a foreign-body sensation or discomfort when biting may appear temporarily, and in rare cases additional treatment may be necessary.

Treatment period: 251015 - 251030