Introduction Are you afraid to smile? Would you rather take the picture instead of be in it, because you are too self-conscious of the color, shape, or positioning of your teeth? Are you afraid to yawn for fear of revealing all of those silver fillings?
Many of my patients think that their teeth are too dark, too crooked, overcrowded, chipped, or just misshapen. They want that "Hollywood" smile, and they often bring a magazine to my office, point to the cover and say, "I want a smile just like that!"
There are a wide range of cosmetic dental enhancements available that can help you achieve the look you want. Though these enhancements are only "skin deep", they can bring you pleasure, and perhaps give your self-confidence a little boost.
Below is a general introduction to some of the latest cosmetic techniques.
Bleaching and Whitening
Extrinsic stains, or stains on outer surfaces of the teeth, can usually be removed during a thorough professional dental cleaning. However, intrinsic stains, which are stains within the tooth itself, must be removed through bleaching. This can be accomplished either at home when overseen by your dentist, or in the dental office with a carbamide-peroxide or hydrogen-peroxide solution. It is usually two to three years before it is necessary to repeat the bleaching process. I caution you to avoid any whitening procedure without supervision by your dentist for several reasons that include:
- Not everyone is a candidate for bleaching, so you s...
Copyright 2009 NBC Health
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