I have fluorosis stains on my teeth and wondered if teeth whitening is a good cosmetic fix for someone in my position? I want to have a smile I am proud of.
Diego
Dear Diego,
I will say right off that teeth whitening will not be the solution. It whitens teeth evenly and is only more likely to make your fluorosis stains more obvious. For the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with what fluorosis stains are, it happens when someone ingests too much fluoride while the teeth are still forming. The fluoride in the water in the United States is optimized for the right consumption so we don’t see much of it here.
There is good news, though. Your teeth can be attractive again. Which solution depends on the amount of fluorosis you are dealing with. For either repair, you will need an expert cosmetic dentist. My suggestion would be to find an AACD accredited dentist.
If You Have Mild Fluorosis
The picture above is an example of mild fluorosis. If this is what you are facing, then dental bonding can be a sufficient repair. Your dentist will gently shave about 0.5 millimeters of your tooth enamel. Then, he or she will replace it with direct composite bonding. It doesn’t last as long as the next repair I will talk about, but it does cost less.
If You Have Darker Fluorosis
In some cases, as in the picture directly above, the stains are more prominent. In this case, simple dental bonding will not be enough. Instead, I suggest you have porcelain veneers placed. This is actually the go-to procedure for a smile makeover. It is what gives people that “Hollywood Smile.”
This procedure can last for a lifetime. However, don’t try to cut corners by going to an inexperienced cosmetic dentist for this. It’s not an easy procedure to do under the best of circumstances. With severe stains like these, it will take someone highly skilled. This is why I recommended an AACD accredited dentist earlier, these are the best cosmetic dentists.
This blog is brought to you by Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Michael Weiss.