Skip to main content

Geach Dental

Replacing Old Crowns, Veneers and Dental Implant Restorations for a Natural, Younger Smile

When Old Dental Work Makes Your Smile Look Older

Even the highest-quality dental work doesn’t last forever.

Over time, crowns, veneers and implant restorations can begin to show their age. They may chip, stain, or no longer match your surrounding teeth. As your gums naturally change over the years, restorations that once looked beautiful can begin to appear uneven or unnatural.

Many patients tell us:

  • “My smile just doesn’t look like it used to.”
  • “People notice my dental work before they notice me.”
  • “I want my teeth to look natural again.”

This patient came to Geach Dental looking for exactly that.

The Challenge

This patient had several cosmetic concerns affecting the upper front teeth:

  • Chipped porcelain veneers
  • Discolored dental restorations
  • Staining around the crowns
  • Uneven tooth lengths
  • A shifted smile midline
  • An older dental implant that had been placed at a difficult angle, causing gum recession and making the front teeth appear uneven

Because the implant could not simply be moved, restoring this smile required careful planning and advanced prosthodontic expertise rather than simply replacing the crowns. 

Why Replacing Old Dental Work Isn’t Always Simple

Many people assume replacing an old crown or veneer is straightforward.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.

When dental implants, veneers, crowns and natural teeth all need to work together, every small detail matters:

  • Tooth shape
  • Tooth color
  • Gum symmetry
  • Smile line
  • Bite function
  • Implant position
  • Long-term durability

These complex cases are exactly why prosthodontists receive years of additional specialty training after dental school.

Our Treatment Process

Rather than immediately making new crowns, we first removed the existing restorations to evaluate the health of the underlying teeth and assess the position of the dental implant.

Using digital smile design principles, we created custom provisional (temporary) restorations that allowed us to:

  • Improve the smile before making the final crowns
  • Fine-tune the tooth shape and proportions
  • Evaluate the bite
  • Allow the patient to preview and approve the new smile

These temporary restorations became the blueprint for the final result.

Precision Craftsmanship Makes the Difference

One advantage unique to Geach Dental is our in-office dental laboratory.

Instead of sending everything to an outside lab, Dr. Adam Geach works directly with an experienced laboratory ceramist to customize:

  • Tooth shape
  • Surface texture
  • Color
  • Translucency
  • Contours
  • Smile symmetry

This close collaboration allows us to achieve an exceptional level of detail that is especially important in the highly visible front teeth.

The Final Result

Although the original implant position limited how much the gum line could be changed, nearly every other esthetic concern was corrected.

The new restorations provided:

  • A brighter, more youthful smile
  • Better color matching
  • Improved tooth proportions
  • Straighter smile appearance
  • Natural-looking contours
  • Durable zirconia ceramic restorations designed to resist staining and wear

The result is a smile that looks healthier, more balanced and significantly more natural.

Healthy implant and tooth structure formed first:

Final Restorations Placed:

Do You Have Old Crowns, Veneers or Dental Implant Restorations?

You may be an excellent candidate for replacing your existing dental work if you notice:

  • Chipped veneers
  • Dark lines around crowns
  • Yellow or stained restorations
  • Crowns that no longer match your teeth
  • Dental implant crowns that look unnatural
  • Uneven front teeth
  • An older smile makeover that no longer looks attractive

Many patients are surprised how dramatically replacing aging dental work can refresh their entire appearance.

Why Choose a Prosthodontist?

Replacing cosmetic dental work is about much more than making new crowns.

A prosthodontist is a dental specialist trained in complex restorative, cosmetic and implant dentistry. This advanced training is especially valuable when treating challenging cases involving:

  • Dental implants
  • Failed cosmetic dentistry
  • Full smile makeovers
  • Bite reconstruction
  • Multiple crowns and veneers

At Geach Dental, every smile is carefully planned with the goal of creating results that are beautiful, functional and built to last.

Schedule a Smile Consultation

If your crowns, veneers or dental implant restorations are beginning to look worn, stained or outdated, we can help you achieve a natural-looking smile that looks healthyโ€”not like dental work.

Dr. Adam Geach, DMD, MDSc is a board-certified prosthodontist providing advanced cosmetic dentistry, smile makeovers and dental implant restoration in Downtown Los Angeles and Laguna Niguel, serving patients throughout Los Angeles County and Orange County.

Contact Geach Dental today to schedule your personalized smile consultation.

Search for Blog Articles

Pinteresting Board
Share

Meet Dr. Adam Geach, distinguished prosthodontics specialist and owner ofย  Geach Dental.ย 

His dental education includes Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the University of Connecticut, where he earned a D.M.D. and an M.D.Sc. in Prosthodontics, respectively. Dr. Geach holds Diplomate status with the American Board of Prosthodontics, underscoring his exceptional expertise in dental care.ย At his clinics in Los Angeles and Laguna Niguel, Dr. Geach offers a wide range of services, from cosmetic treatments to full-mouth reconstructions, all delivered with a focus on personalized patient care.Take the first step toward your ideal smile and improved oral health by clicking here.

Related blog posts

When a Dental Implant Becomes a Challenge: How We Restored an Extremely Difficult Implant Case

Not Every Dental Implant Can Be Restored the Same Way Most dental implants are straightforward. A single implant is placed where a missing tooth once was, heals for several months, and then receives a custom crown that looks and functions like a natural tooth. See the example below.   Occasionally, however, patients are referred to our office with implant situations that are far more complicated. This was one of those cases. The Problem: Two Implants Where Normally Only One Is Needed This patient was referred to our prosthodontic practice after two very narrow dental implants had been placed in the space of a single lower molar. See picture below.  Although the implants were healthy, they were positioned extremely close together and angled toward each other. This unusual placement made it nearly impossible to place a conventional implant crown. For many dentists, this type of case can become frustrating because standard implant components simply won’t fit. Instead of replacing the implants, we developed a customized solution designed specifically for this patient. Why This Was So Difficult Think of trying to place a lid onto two jars that are leaning toward each other. If the jars aren’t parallel, the lid won’t fit. The same concept applies to dental implants. Because these implants were angled differently, a traditional implant crown could not seat properly. Without advanced prosthodontic planning, the patient may have required extensive additional treatmentโ€”or even implant replacement. Our Solution: Custom Implant Engineering Rather than removing healthy implants, we designed two custom implant abutments. These precision-made components corrected the angulation of the implants and created a common path that allowed a single implant crown to fit accurately. See the X-ray below showing the tapered, custom abutments. Everything was designed, and fabricated with exceptional precision in our in-office dental laboratory. This approach allowed us to preserve the existing implants while creating a restoration that is both functional and attractive. The Final Result The completed implant crown: Most importantly, the patient left with a tooth that functions naturally without requiring additional surgery. Before:  After:  Why Experience Matters Complicated implant restorations require far more than simply placing a crown. They demand: As a prosthodontist, Dr. Adam Geach specializes in restoring complex implant cases that many general dental offices refer for advanced care. Our practice treats challenging implant restorations every day, including: Why Our In-Office Dental Laboratory Makes a Difference Unlike many dental offices that outsource laboratory work, Geach Dental has its own in-house ceramic laboratory. This allows us to: For complex implant cases, this collaboration often makes the difference between an average result and an outstanding one. Looking for a Specialist to Restore Your Dental Implants? If you’ve been told your implant restoration is difficultโ€”or you’ve had a loose, broken, worn, or unattractive implant crownโ€”you may benefit from treatment by a prosthodontic specialist. At Geach Dental, Dr. Adam Geach provides advanced implant restoration and cosmetic dentistry for patients throughout: Call (213) 622-3339 or schedule a consultation to learn how even the most complicated implant restorations can often be successfully restored.

Read Up

Smile Makeover in Los Angeles: From Gaps and Discoloration to a Natural, Confident Smile

The Patient’s Concern A patient was referred to Geach Dental because she was unhappy with the appearance of her smile. She disliked the spaces between her front teeth, the uneven coloration, and the white spots that distracted from an otherwise healthy smile. Like many cosmetic dentistry patients, her goal was not to have an artificial “Hollywood smile.” She wanted a smile that looked naturally beautiful, balanced, and harmonious with her face. The Hidden Problems Behind the Smile When designing a smile makeover, it is important to look beyond the teeth alone. During our comprehensive smile analysis, we identified several factors affecting the appearance of her smile: Many cosmetic dental treatments focus only on the teeth. However, truly exceptional smile makeovers require careful evaluation of both the teeth and the surrounding gums. Designing the Ideal Smile Every smile makeover at Geach Dental begins with detailed planning. Using digital smile design technology, we created a customized preview of the patient’s future smile. This allowed us to evaluate tooth shape, proportions, symmetry, and overall facial harmony before treatment even began. One of the most important findings was that the length of the patient’s front teeth was already ideal for her facial features. Making the teeth longer would have created an unnatural appearance. Instead, the goal was to improve symmetry, close the spaces, and create a more youthful and balanced smile. Creating Better Gum Symmetry The gums frame the teeth just as a picture frame surrounds artwork. Because the patient’s gumline was uneven, we coordinated treatment with a periodontal specialist who performed conservative gum recontouring. This minor procedure improved symmetry and created more ideal tooth proportions. By correcting the gum architecture first, we established the foundation for a beautiful and natural-looking final result. Why Crowns Were Chosen Instead of Veneers One of the most common questions patients ask is whether veneers or crowns are the better option. In this case, custom all-ceramic crowns provided superior control over tooth shape and contour. This allowed us to close the spaces between the teeth while maintaining natural proportions and creating a seamless appearance. The treatment involved six upper front teeth, carefully designed to complement the patient’s facial features and smile. Precision Smile Design and Shade Matching Creating a natural smile requires more than simply choosing a white shade. We worked closely with our dental laboratory to select the ideal color, translucency, and surface characteristics for the patient. Every detail was customized to ensure the restorations blended naturally and reflected light like healthy natural teeth. Temporary restorations were created first so the patient could preview the new smile before the final restorations were fabricated. The Final Result The final restorations were crafted from high-quality zirconia ceramic, a material known for its strength, durability, and lifelike appearance. The completed smile makeover achieved: Most importantly, the patient achieved the confidence that comes from smiling freely without feeling self-conscious about her teeth. Why Choose a Prosthodontist for a Smile Makeover? Not all cosmetic dentistry cases are the same. Prosthodontists receive advanced specialty training in cosmetic dentistry, smile design, complex restorative treatment, and dental reconstruction. This additional expertise allows for a comprehensive approach that considers aesthetics, function, longevity, and facial harmony. At Geach Dental, every smile makeover is carefully planned to create results that are not only beautiful on the day they are delivered, but designed to last for years to come. Considering a Smile Makeover in Los Angeles or Orange County? If you are unhappy with gaps between your teeth, discoloration, worn teeth, old dental work, or an uneven smile, a customized smile makeover may be the solution. Dr. Adam Geach is a board-certified prosthodontist providing advanced cosmetic dentistry, smile makeovers, dental implants, and complex restorative care in Downtown Los Angeles and Laguna Niguel. Schedule a consultation to discover what is possible for your smile.

Read Up

Follow Our Newsletter To Stay Tuned

Sign up to receive exclusive guides & tips on health, fashion, travel, beauty and more!

Follow Our Newsletter To Stay Tuned

Sign up to receive exclusive guides & tips on health, fashion, travel, beauty and more!