For stained or discolored teeth, you have the options of Whitening, Bonding, and/or Veneers.
A) WHITENING
Nowadays, teeth whitening is one of the most common procedure relating to the field of Cosmetic Dentistry. With the availability of over-the-counter whitening paste and treatments, whitening your teeth has never been made more accessible, but better results can be had with the help and supervision of a professional as they possess the requisite skill and control . A consultation with the dentist guarantees you optimum results - your desired shade and uniformity as well.
Prior to whitening, check ups and teeth cleaning is a must. The Dental check up will determine whether you are a proper candidate for whitening or not. Teeth that had been treated with veneers or bonded with fillings, naturally, cannot be whitened, as their color were determined by surrounding teeth. To have a uniform shade, the original teeth will have to be whitened first to your desired shade and the veneers or fillings will be replaced with new ones matching the shade of the whitened original teeth, otherwise the restored teeth will stand out and look artificial.
Whitening, however, may not be the proper solution. Yellowed teeth produce best results than brown or grayish colored teeth. Stains from root canal treatments may not be affected by the whitening. In such cases, other options like internal whitening or permanent restorations can be had.
B) BONDING
When is bonding the better option? For white or brown spots due to excessive wear or silver fillings, bonding is a good option. However, bonded teeth tend to stain easily and would require constant or periodic visit to the dentist for repair.
C) PORCELAIN VENEERS
If you want a significant change in the color of your teeth, porcelain veneers are the best option, as they guarantee a highly esthetic result with less probability of staining. The primary advantage of having porcelain veneers is their durability, remaining attractive for a longer period.
Porcelain veneers may not only improve the color of your teeth but can also improve your teeth size and shape for a complete smile make over.
D) CROWNS
Crowns for stained or discolored teeth? Yes. Crowns are best for teeth that have large defective fillings,and if you want long lasting results.
CAVITIES OR CRACKS
CAVITIES
Older restorative materials like amalgams are fine in the back of the mouth. However, silver fillings can sometimes ruin an otherwise perfect smile and can even create a distraction when smiling or talking.
For amalgam-filled teeth, these can now be replaced with TOOTH-COLORED FILLINGS. Tooth colored-fillings are best for small areas that are visible when talking or smiling. The drawback, however, is that they have a shorter life expectancy than silver, gold, or porcelain fillings.
Another option for fillings are PORCELAIN VENEERS. Porcelain veneers provide a long-lasting solution and do not stain. They provide a high esthetic result more than the other conventional fillings. If your teeth have extensive decay, old fillings that are discolored, or if you are simply dissatisfied with your old fillings, porcelain veneers are perfect for you.
Porcelain veneers can also help in improving the shape of the teeth and can brighten the color as well.
CROWN may also be considered for decayed teeth. For extensive decay or severely stained teeth resulting from the removal of a large filling, crowns may do wonders for you. Crown does not only work well with large stains but can also remedy other functional issues like tooth wear and high lip line, improve shape of teeth, as well as some realignment or straightening.
CRACKS When your teeth have just been chipped or cracked, consider the extent of the damage or injury. Some cracks need minor treatments like CONTOURING, but some needs BONDING or CROWNS. Hence, it is best to determine the kind of fracture that you have.
MINOR FRACTURES., which are normally small chips off the biting edges of your teeth are easy to repair. Normally, they are COSMETICALLY CONTOURED, if the length of the chipped tooth is still sufficient. At times, the neighboring teeth are also contoured to match each other.
SERIOUS FRACTURES., are those that normally resulted from accidents – can be treated with bonding or crowns or veneers.
When is BONDING a good option for serious fractures? Bonding is the best option when you don't want to change your smile line. The drawback for bonding is, you may need to repeat the procedure every 5-8 years, as bondings are susceptible to stains and wear.
CROWN/S is an option when there is little tooth structure left making bonding or contouring impossible.
VENEER/S is also an excellent choice, other than crowns for cracked or chipped tooth, especially if multiple teeth will have to be restored.
What if tooth is broken at gumline? In which case, we need a POST and CORE, which means, we need to reveal more of the tooth and install it with a crown.
VERTICAL ROOT FRACTURE. In most case of vertical root fracture, extraction/removal is the only solution, and implant or bridge to replace the extracted tooth.
GAPS BETWEEN TEETH / DIASTEMA
Gaps or spaces develop for a variety of reasons like mismatch between the size of jaw and the sizes of the teeth, or missing or undersized teeth. Habits can also play a key role in creating gaps between the teeth, like thumbsucking, periodontal disease causing loss of bone and eventually leading to tooth loss.
Small gaps can be closed by putting a composite material between them, thereby making each tooth a little wider. BONDING is an option if you prefer a procedure that is reversible.
For large gaps, instant makeover like VENEERS can do the trick, otherwise, orthodontic treatment like braces is the better solution coupled with other dental tretament, especially when the gap is just a part of a set of problems.
Small teeth can create gaps. In such case, we offer a variety of remedy to suit your need.
BONDING is an ideal solution, however, this option will require bonding more teeth than the ones actually affected to achieve a more uniform look.
If, however, you are more concern with the esthetic side, PORCELAIN VENEERS are your best option, as they can provide proportional accuracy than bonding does.
Sometimes, CROWNS are the best solution especially when teeth are heavily or badly damaged.
MISSING TEETH
Our smile is one of the first thing people notice in us. If you have one or more missing teeth, most often than not, we become self-conscious. And the strained smile is not the only problem created by missing tooth or teeth. It can create or produce a variety of problems like unwanted spaces, altered bite which can lead to collapse of facial features. The more missing teeth that go unreplaced, the more we become prone to premature aging.
In replacing one or more teeth, there are several options available for you. A fixed bridge, a removal bridge, complete denture, and implants.
FIXED BRIDGES
are used to replace missing teeth and gums by affixing it to a neighboring teeth and cemented into place.
When do we consider a fixed bridge as an option? For economic and health reasons like diabetes and cancer, which prevents the patient from having an implant, fixed bridge is an excellent choice.
An advantage of a fixed bridge is, it helps prevent movement of adjacent and opposing teeth, which could likely happen with a removal teeth bridge.
REMOVAL BRIDGES
are the same as fixed bridges. The difference is that they are not cemented into place. Although, relatively cheaper than fixed bridge, removal bridge may cause wear and stress of supporting teeth. They are also the least esthetic option as metal clasps are used.
COMPLETE DENTURES
is the option for people who have lost all their teeth. Complete dentures are advisable for people who are not good candidates for implants due to health reasons.
DENTAL IMPLANT
most often is the best option. Not only that they provide an array of benefits, such as eating, speaking, and smiling with confidence. They also help ensure not only an attractive smile but aid in maintaining facial structures. In addition, dental implants provide the needed support for grinding food, hence, lesser stress on healthy adjacent teeth.
In whatever type of treatment you need or require, it is always necessary to discuss them with a professional. And here at BSD, we are committed in giving you that pefect smile.
