When my patient Lauren came in for her semi-annual visit she had just returned from a wonderful vacation. With a glowing tan, Lauren recounted that she had really enjoyed her trip, but she was so upset when she was flipping through her pictures at home. In ever picture, she complained, her teeth looked kind of yellow and worn down. With a wedding coming up in just a month, Lauren was very motivated whiten and brighten her smile.
Lauren’s cosmetic concerns are incredibly common. Our O’Fallon cosmetic dentists explained to her that as people age, their teeth inevitably age and change color as well. Some patients suffer from discoloration due to environmental factors, food, and drinks. Other patients suffer from yellow teeth become their enamel becomes thinner and exposes the darker inner-tooth. Luckily, we now have a variety of cosmetic treatments that can whiten dental enamel and restore a youthful looking smile.
Teeth whitening and bleaching treatments are popular among patients of all ages, because they are both quick and comfortable. Bleaching treatments whiten enamel by using hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. Professional, in-office treatments deliver stunning results in just one or two sessions.
Dental veneers—thin layers of porcelain that are affixed to the surface of teeth—are often used for patients for whom traditional teeth whitening treatments don’t work. Because dental veneers cover existing enamel, they can in essence resurface any cosmetic problem. Dental veneers can be custom shaded and shaped to fit a patient’s smile and blend with natural teeth.
Lauren chose to pursue teeth bleaching treatments, and she is thrilled with the results. We were able to lighten her teeth several shades, and she was ready to flaunt her whiter, younger-looking smile in time for wedding pictures! If you’ve been considering cosmetic dentistry treatment, give our O’Fallon cosmetic dentists a call for more information—(636) 614-1217.