The biggest problem with ignoring dental problems is that they not only don’t go away, but get worse over time. By the time Robin came in to see us for a consult, her front cap had developed a dark black line around it; the tooth beneath the cap had decayed, and its root was resorbing and had to be extracted. In addition, her adjoining front teeth had problems as well.  On one tooth a large bonding  had discolored.  Also,the lateral incisor (next to her front tooth) had a fractured edge. But Robin liked the rest of her smile, and was interested specifically in improving only the problematical trio, rather than in a complete makeover. So three teeth had to be treated, each requiring a different approach.Our plan for Robin was to extract the front tooth under the failed cap and, after four months (to allow for integration of the dental implant that replaced it), move on to the final restorative phase, which included porcelain veneers for the adjacent two teeth, and a porcelain crown on top of the new implant. For the success of an implant, it is imperative that the gum tissue surrounding it be correctly formed. It also takes time to allow the tissue to mature and drape around the new crown. So exact, proper placement of the implant is essential, along with experitse in creating the best environment for the gum to mature correctly. About a year after the treatment was completed, Robin came in to visit us for a followup; she couldn’t wait to tell us how many compliments she had been receiving — none more important than her general dentist’s observation that he had “never seen such beautiful work — they must really know what they are doing!”