The quest for the fountain of youth has gone on for thousands of years, but your dentist is here to help until that works out. A beautiful smile is a wonderful asset both socially and professionally, but people with a little wear and tear on their teeth can feel self-conscious or even embarrassed about showing them. Here are a few ways cosmetic dentistry can restore a youthful appearance to get your smile back into fighting shape.
Teeth Whitening: Shockingly Good At-Home or In-Office
Over the years, teeth can begin to show stains from things like tea, wine, coffee, tobacco, or natural aging. Luckily, professional dental whitening can remove stains on top of (extrinsic) and beneath (intrinsic) the surface of the teeth. While superior to anything you can buy at a store, professional whitening treatments can be done in-office or with at-home kits.
Professional teeth whitening can whiten your pearly whites by up to eight to ten shades using hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. For customized at-home kits, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth to create unique trays and instruct you on how to apply the whitening gel. Over two weeks, you apply the gel to the trays as instructed and wear them for about an hour.
For in-office procedures, your dentist will use dental barriers to keep whitening agents away from the softer tissues they could irritate. After applying the gel to your teeth, your dentist will activate the whitening effects by using a specialized light on them for about a half hour. Afterwards, your teeth might be treated with a fluoride coating to prevent sensitivity. This procedure can typically be done in about an hour.
Porcelain Veneers Have You Covered
In cases where stains do not respond to whitening, or when the teeth have minor chips, cracks, or gaps, porcelain veneers can restore a smile to its glory days. Veneers are thin shells manufactured to mimic the color, luster, and shape of your natural teeth. Your dentist will shave a small amount of enamel off the front of your teeth before cementing the veneers on top of them. They can last for twenty years with proper maintenance and the procedure can be done in as few as two appointments. Porcelain veneers are the secret behind many Hollywood smiles but many people from all walks of life have also used them to unlock dazzling grins.
Cosmetic Bonding Can Fill the Gaps
Many people have minor cracks, chips, or gaps in their teeth, and dentists have a simple, reliable solution for that. Your dentist will use a putty-like resin color-matched to your teeth to fill in the chips and cracks. They will then shape the resin to match the contours of the tooth before using a specialized light to solidify it. This is typically done as needed during routine examinations and cleaning appointments and the results can last for up to ten years.
Cosmetic dentistry can work wonders to turn a weathered grin into a shining smile. Knowing your options can save you the distress of worrying about the years showing more than you’d like. While your teeth will change over time, treatments are available to make them look as good as new.
About the Practice
My Frederick Dentist provides a comprehensive array of services to the community of Frederick, MD. Led by Drs. Andrew Aziz, Cyrus Allafi, and Sunghyeok Hong, the staff makes dental care easy by providing stellar service with the latest technology. Services include general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry like the treatments listed here. If you’re interested in making your smile look a few decades younger, contact the office online or dial (301) 698-9552.