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Your smile can be one of your best features, and is certainly one of the first things people will notice about you. If you currently have stained, chipped or misshapen teeth, you have now have options to
change your smile to one of confidence.
Even subtle changes in your smile can make a dramatic difference in the way you look and feel about yourself.
Talk with your dentist about some of the following options for improving your smile: tooth whitening, enamel
shaping, bonding, or veneers. Discuss with your dentist not only the options most suitable for you, but also what your expectations
are and the dental fees involved.
Tooth Whitening (Bleaching)
Bleaching is a procedure that brightens teeth that are discolored, stained, or have darkened because of injury. Bleaching
may be done completely in the dental office or the dentist may dispense a system for you to use at home.
Chairside bleaching takes from 30 minutes to one hour per visit. A chemical solution is applied to the teeth. A special
light may be used to help activate the bleaching agent. More than one session may be needed.
With home-use bleaching, a custom-fitted mouthguard used to hold a bleaching gel and is worn each day or at night for
about two weeks, depending on your dentist's directions.
It is not uncommon for the teeth to become slightly sensitive following bleaching treatments, and although the effects
of bleaching may last for several years, teeth can become stained again and need periodic touch-up treatments.
Enamel shaping is a process of shaping, or contouring natural teeth to improve their overall appearance. The teeth
can be modified by removing some of the enamel to create harmony and balance in the mouth.
The process is often combined with bonding, is usually quick and comfortable, and the results can be seen immediately.
Bonding may not require the use of anesthesia or drilling and can usually be completed in one visit.
This conservative process can not solve all problems. Crowded teeth, for instance, may need braces, and a referral to
an orthodontist may be recommended.
Bonding
Bonding is a cosmetic procedure that can improve the appearance of teeth. Tooth-colored materials are attached
or bonded to the tooth surface. This can improve unsightly stains, front-tooth spaces, or accident-caused cracks or chips.
Bonding is also used to protect exposed roots that result from gum recession and to fill small cavities. Bonding usually
lasts from three to five years.
Bonding involves preparing the tooth surface with an etching solution that allows the bonding material, made of glass-like
substances and resin, to adhere to the tooth. Various resins are carefully blended to match the existing tooth as nearly as
possible for a natural look. The resin is applied, hardened using a special light, shaped, and then smoothed and polished.
Bonding may not require the use of anesthesia or drilling and can usually be completed in one visit.
Veneers
Veneers are custom-made shells of composite resins, acrylic material, or porcelain that are designed to cover the front
side of teeth. They can be used to treat spaces between the teeth and teeth that are
permanently stained, poorly shaped, slightly crooked, or chipped or worn.
Placing veneers can be an irreversible process because a small amount of enamel is usually removed to accommodate the
thickness of the shell.
It is possible over time for the veneer to chip, come off, or for decay to develop.
In that case, a new veneer may be required.
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