Natural-Looking Front Teeth Crowns: An e.max Smile Case
How Dr. CJ Henley restored a teen's broken front teeth with natural-looking e.max crowns in two visits. A San Marco, Jacksonville cosmetic dentistry case.
Four e.max ceramic crowns on the upper front teeth (#7–10) by Dr. CJ Henley, Jacksonville FL
Four e.max ceramic crowns on the upper front teeth (#7 to #10), Dr. CJ Henley, Jacksonville, FL
A front-tooth crown looks natural when it matches the neighboring teeth in brightness, translucency, surface texture and shape. In this case, four all-ceramic e.max crowns replaced earlier repairs on a young patient's broken front teeth over two visits, about three weeks apart. The material helps, but the result mostly comes from planning and attention to detail.
For me, the best sign of success with a cosmetic restoration is that nobody notices it. The goal isn't simply whiter or straighter teeth. It's teeth that look like they grew there. Crowns or porcelain veneers that look flat, opaque or too uniform stand out from across the room, however well they fit.
The case: restoring four upper front teeth
This patient broke her upper front teeth when she was younger. As she approached high school graduation, it was time to replace the earlier repairs with something more permanent that looked like natural teeth.
We restored the two central and two lateral incisors (teeth #7 to #10) with all-ceramic e.max crowns. These are the most visible teeth in any smile, and there's nowhere to hide a mismatch in shade, shape or edge translucency. At the first visit, we prepared the teeth and placed temporary crowns. At the second, about three weeks later, we placed the final crowns.
The finished crowns blend with her natural teeth in color, light and texture. You can see more of our work in the before and after gallery.
What makes a crown look natural?
Natural teeth aren't one solid color. A more opaque inner layer (dentin) sits under a semi-translucent shell (enamel). Light passes into the tooth, scatters and comes back out. Crowns look artificial when they block that light or reflect it all off the surface. These are the details I check:
Translucent edges. The biting edges of front teeth let light through and often show a faint blue-gray tint. A crown that is equally dense from top to bottom looks chalky.
Brightness, not just shade. People usually notice that a tooth is too bright before they notice the wrong hue. I match brightness to the neighboring teeth and to your complexion.
Surface texture and luster. Enamel has fine ridges and growth lines that catch light. A glassy, perfectly smooth surface reflects like a mirror and gives a crown away.
Shape and proportion. In one study of extracted teeth, unworn upper central incisors were about 78 percent as wide as they were long, and worn ones about 87 percent. [1] Laterals are narrower and slightly shorter. Getting proportions right matters as much as color.
Healthy gums and clean margins. The gumline frames the teeth. Healthy tissue and a smooth transition from crown to tooth, with no dark line, keep the result convincing up close.
I photograph every case and send the photos to our ceramist, so the lab sees the color, translucency and character of your teeth, not just a number from a shade guide.
Why e.max crowns?
e.max is a brand of lithium disilicate, a glass-ceramic widely used for front-tooth crowns because it balances appearance and strength.
Lifelike translucency. As a glass-ceramic, it handles light much like enamel.
No metal underneath. Older porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns can show a gray line at the gum and look opaque. All-ceramic crowns avoid both.
Strong enough for front teeth. Lithium disilicate is considerably stronger than traditional porcelain.
Bonded to the tooth. It can be bonded rather than only cemented, which improves retention and can allow a more conservative preparation.
It isn't the right choice for every tooth. People who grind heavily, back teeth under high load and teeth with very dark underlying color may do better with another material such as zirconia (see our full-contour zirconia case). When a tooth can't be saved, a dental implant with a ceramic crown can be finished to the same standard. I choose materials case by case.
Crowns or veneers for front teeth?
Both can look natural. The deciding factor is how much healthy tooth structure is left.
Porcelain veneers cover the front surface and edge of the tooth. They suit teeth that are mostly healthy, where the concern is color, shape or minor spacing, and they need less tooth reduction.
All-ceramic crowns cover the whole tooth. They are the more predictable choice when a tooth has a large filling, an old crown, a root canal, a fracture or heavy wear.
A tooth with a large filling or old crown may not have enough sound enamel left for a veneer to bond well. Our cosmetic dentistry page covers the full range of options, from whitening and bonding to complete smile makeovers.
How I plan a natural-looking smile
Listen first. What bothers you about your smile, and what would you like to see? Some patients want a dramatic change. Most want to look like themselves on a good day.
Photographs and imaging. Clinical photographs and, when needed, 3D imaging show the teeth, bite and supporting bone.
Design the shape around your lips, face and gumline rather than a template.
Try it in temporaries. Temporary crowns let you live with the new shape before anything is final. We adjust them until they look and feel right.
Custom fabrication. The ceramist builds the final crowns from our photographs, shade notes and your approved temporaries.
Try-in and bonding. I check color, fit and bite in natural light before the crowns are permanently placed.
Caring for ceramic crowns
Brush twice a day and clean between your teeth daily. The crown can't decay, but the tooth underneath and the gumline still can.
Use a non-abrasive toothpaste to protect the glaze.
Don't use your front teeth as tools: no opening packages, biting nails or chewing ice.
If you clench or grind, wear a night guard.
Keep regular cleanings and examinations so we can check the margins and gums.
Frequently asked questions
How long do e.max crowns last?
Studies of lithium disilicate single crowns report about 98 percent still in service at five years. Ten-year data are more limited but also encouraging. [2] How long your crowns last depends on grinding, injury, gum health and home care.
Will my crowns stain?
Ceramic resists staining far better than natural enamel. It also won't whiten, so if you'd like brighter teeth overall, we whiten first and match the crowns to the new shade.
Will people be able to tell I have crowns?
That's what I work to avoid. Matching translucency, texture and shape to your own teeth is what makes crowns blend in.
Does getting crowns hurt?
The teeth are numbed during preparation, and most patients say it feels like getting a filling. Mild sensitivity for a few days afterward is common.
Does insurance cover cosmetic crowns?
Insurance often helps when a crown restores a damaged tooth, but rarely for purely cosmetic changes. We're an out-of-network practice and can help you understand how to use your benefits. You're responsible for any amount your plan doesn't pay. More answers are on our FAQ page.
Talk about your front teeth in Jacksonville
Dr. CJ Henley provides cosmetic and restorative dentistry at 3675 Hendricks Avenue in San Marco, Jacksonville. See more case studies, read patient reviews or look over our new patient information.
Book a consultation online, call the office at 904-398-1549, or text our practice's on-call line at 904-762-5616. Please don't send sensitive health information by text.
Sources
Magne P, Gallucci GO, Belser UC. Anatomic crown width/length ratios of unworn and worn maxillary teeth in white subjects. J Prosthet Dent. 2003;89(5):453-461. doi:10.1016/S0022-3913(03)00125-2 (retrieved via PubMed)
Pieger S, Salman A, Bidra AS. Clinical outcomes of lithium disilicate single crowns and partial fixed dental prostheses: a systematic review. J Prosthet Dent. 2014;112(1):22-30. doi:10.1016/j.prosdent.2014.01.005 (retrieved via PubMed)
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.
How to Get Rid of Tonsil Stones
The tonsils are located in the back of the throat and serve as part of the body's lymphatic and immune systems. Tonsil stones are small stones that form there. They can cause infection and symptoms such as bad breath.
Ideally, the tonsils capture and catch bacteria before they can go deeper into a person's oral cavity.
However, the tonsils have small folds, in which bacteria and food can collect to form small, stone-like substances that doctors call tonsil stones or tonsilloliths.
In addition to bad breath, these stones can cause a sore throat, painful swallowing, hoarseness, and inflamed, red tonsils.
In this article, learn how to get rid of tonsil stones at home, as well as when to see a doctor.
See the full article at Medical News Today
Most tonsil stones can be loosened at home by gargling with warm salt water, coughing firmly, or rinsing gently with a water flosser on a low setting. Small stones often come out on their own, and swallowing one is harmless. If they keep coming back, cause pain or trouble swallowing, or one tonsil looks larger than the other, see your physician or an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor.
What are tonsil stones?
Your tonsils sit at the back of your throat on each side. Their surface has small pits and folds called crypts. Food debris, dead cells, bacteria and minerals can collect in those crypts and harden into small white or yellow lumps. The medical name is tonsilloliths.
Many people have them without noticing. When they do cause symptoms, the most common are:
bad breath
an unpleasant taste
a sore or scratchy throat
a feeling that something is caught in the throat
discomfort when swallowing, or sometimes ear pain
How can you remove tonsil stones at home?
Gargle with warm salt water after meals. It can loosen stones and soothe the throat.
Cough firmly. A stone near the surface may come out on its own.
Use a water flosser on its lowest setting, aimed gently at the tonsil, not straight down the throat.
Press gently with a cotton swab next to a visible stone, if you can reach it without gagging.
Avoid fingernails, toothpicks, tweezers or anything sharp. Tonsil tissue bleeds easily and can become sore or infected if it is scraped. If a stone is deep or will not come out, leave it for your physician.
Can you prevent them?
Not always, because the shape of your tonsils plays a large part. These habits help:
Brush twice a day, clean between your teeth and brush or scrape your tongue.
Gargle with water or salt water after eating.
Drink enough water. A dry mouth lets debris build up. If dry mouth is a regular problem, our page on dry mouth explains common causes.
Do not smoke.
When should you see a physician or ENT?
See your physician or an ENT doctor if:
stones keep coming back or home care does not help
you have throat pain, fever or trouble swallowing
one tonsil is swollen or larger than the other
you have a sore in the throat that does not heal, a sore throat or ear pain that does not go away, a lump in your neck or a change in your voice
The last two groups of symptoms are not typical of tonsil stones and should be examined promptly to rule out other conditions, including cancer of the tonsil. For stones that keep causing trouble, a physician can remove them in the office, and removing the tonsils (tonsillectomy) is sometimes recommended.
What does a dentist have to do with tonsil stones?
Tonsil stones are one cause of bad breath, but most bad breath starts in the mouth. Bacteria coating the back of the tongue, gum disease, decay, food trapped around dental work and a dry mouth are all common causes. A dental examination can find or rule out those causes before you assume the tonsils are to blame.
During an examination we also look at the back of the mouth and throat. If something there needs medical attention, we will tell you and recommend that you see your physician or an ENT. You can read what an oral cancer screening involves.
If you live in Jacksonville and have bad breath that does not go away, contact our office or call 904-398-1549.
Sources
Cleveland Clinic. Tonsil stones (tonsilloliths). Last reviewed January 7, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
National Cancer Institute. Head and neck cancers fact sheet. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
About the author. CJ Henley, DMD, is a general dentist in Jacksonville whose practice focuses on cosmetic and restorative dentistry, dental implants and dental care around head and neck cancer. Meet Dr. Henley.
CJ Henley, DMD, PA · 3675 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207 · 904-398-1549
Updated October 2026.