So many people tell our O’Fallon cosmetic dentists the same story: a patient looks in the mirror one day, and just doesn’t recognize the dark or stained smile staring back at them. Dental discoloration is problem that really compounds incrementally over time. We may not notice individual new stains day to day, but definitely notice the end result!
Whitening and refreshing your smile is absolutely achievable, and our dental team can help you find the perfect aesthetic treatment option for your life. Keep reading to learn more about the ways you can combat dental discoloration.
The number one consideration as we start treatment is to determine the underlying cause of the aesthetic changes to your smile. Dental discoloration can develop for a number of reasons including:
- Environmental stains due to pigmented foods, drinks, and tobacco products. Tobacco products are especially powerful staining substances.
- Thinning dental enamel, which allows more of the yellow dentin to shine through to the surface of the patient’s smile.
- Dental damage that leaves the tooth looking gray or dark; when the inner core of a tooth is damaged, the entire tooth can start to look discolored and dull.
The aesthetic treatment you pursue will depend on the root cause of your aesthetic issue:
- Professional dental cleanings will refresh smiles darkened due to plaque and tartar build-up
- Topical whitening treatments minimize entrenched stains, especially those from foods, drinks, and tobacco
- Dental bonding covers existing enamel with custom-shaded dental resin. The result is a transformed tooth that looks fresh and bright.
- Individual porcelain veneers are bonded to the patient’s tooth structure to give the tooth a new appearance.
Some patients are able to achieve their aesthetic goals using one of these treatments, while others combine whitening solutions in order to refresh their smiles. Our O’Fallon cosmetic dentists are here to help you weigh all of your treatment options, so that you can make a sound dental decision.