I have always had white spots on my front teeth. I’m in my mid-twenties now and really want to have a smile that does not embarrass me. But, when I talked to my dentist about it, he assures me that my teeth are healthy and I should not mess with them. When I brought it up again at my next appointment he sighed and said, “If it’s bugging you that much, just whiten them.” I did, but that seemed to only serve to make the white spots brighter. What do I do now?
Kelly
Dear Kelly,
When I read your story, I rolled my eyes. Your dentist is likely a decent family dentist but he has no idea what he is doing when it comes to cosmetic dentistry. As you discovered, teeth whitening is not the correct solution for this. When you whiten your teeth, it does so evenly. This means that while your teeth will whiten, so will the spots.
There are two possible solutions for you with this depending on how severe or widespread your white spots are. If there is just a small amount of white spots on the tips of your teeth, then you could get away with dental bonding. The example shown above is of dental bonding used to repair a chipped tooth, but it can also be used to cover white spots.
If you are looking at a larger surface area, then you would be better served with porcelain veneers. This can cover the whole surface of your teeth. It can also do more than even out the color if you were interested in that. Veneers are the go-to for celebrity smile makeovers. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth. However, they are more costly than bonding.
One thing to be aware of is that you will not want your current dentist to do either of those procedures. Both are advanced cosmetic dentistry. As he doesn’t even understand basic teeth whitening principles, which is the absolutely easiest form of cosmetic dentistry, he is not qualified to do the advanced procedures. Otherwise, you will end up with a cosmetic dentistry horror story.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Cosmetic Dentist Dr. David Marion.