Discolored teeth can make you self-conscious. You can want to hide your smile instead of showing it off like you should. Dr. Angela Wingate of Garner Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, a dentist in Garner, NC, discusses the options at her office for whitening discolored teeth.
Traditional Teeth Whitening
The most common way to get whiter teeth is with professional teeth whitening. At our office, we offer take-home teeth whitening for our patients. Over the counter teeth whitening offerings can be uneven and not give you the results you want. They’re often ill-fitting and can cause harm to your gums and soft tissues, as well as causing tooth sensitivity.
At our office, Dr. Wingate will take molds of your teeth. This allows whitening trays to be made that are customized to your smile. The bleaching gel goes in the trays, evenly coating your teeth and ensuring that your gums aren’t harmed by the gel. You wear these for a few hours each day, your teeth getting progressively whiter with time.
Porcelain Veneers
Some stains and discoloration are resistant to traditional teeth whitening methods. In particular, stains that come from certain medications can be hard to get rid of. Porcelain veneers are made of a thin shell of dental porcelain that goes over the front and sides of your tooth. They’re durable and stain-resistant, able to get you the whiter smile that you’re looking for.
For porcelain veneers, a very small portion of your dental enamel will be shaved from your tooth. Impressions will be taken and porcelain veneers will be custom-made for the teeth that you choose. They can be color-matched to match the rest of your smile that may have been successfully whitened with other methods. The veneers are then permanently bonded to the front of your teeth when we’re sure they fit perfectly.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a cost-effective alternative to porcelain veneers. It’s also suitable if you aren’t ready to commit to a permanent restoration. Dental bonding is a biocompatible resin that’s essentially painted over your tooth. It can be shaded to match the rest of your teeth or to be as white as you would like.
The surface of your tooth is prepared so that the resin will adhere to it. The dentist paints it onto the impacted areas. It can be shaped and molded so that it fits your tooth. Once you’re happy with how it looks, it’s cured with a special light that hardens the resin. It’s polished to match the natural sheen of the rest of your teeth.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are similar to porcelain veneers. They’re made of the same dental ceramic. However, these go over the entire tooth instead of the front and sides. These are often ideal for molars or if you have teeth that are suffering from structural integrity issues.
Your tooth is shaved down and shaped to make room for the dental crown to go over it. Like veneers, impressions are taken so that an exact fit can be obtained with the restoration. They’re permanently bonded to your tooth and can last for years to come.
Whitening Teeth at Your Garner, North Carolina Dentist
Are you ready to get a whiter smile? Call us or schedule an appointment online.