Tried whitening your teeth before, but nothing seems to work?
For many of our new patients at Russo Dentistry, the mention of teeth whitening is a sore subject. Many have tried everything on the market for whiter teeth, and they get no results. They’ve tried over-the-counter whitening strips, peroxide, baking soda, in-office power bleaching, gum, olive oil and nothing seems to work. At our cosmetic and aesthetic dental practice, we have literally heard it all.
There is a solution for a brighter smile
If you’re one of these patients or find yourself with the same dental problem of finding teeth whitening problems that work, there are some factors beyond patient’s control that prohibit a response from conventional tooth whitening methods.
As teeth age, the enamel becomes thinner and more brittle and the layer below the enamel which is called the dentin starts to show through. The dentin has a natural color of orange, yellow, sometimes brown (think: autumn colors). This is the most common reason that patients’ teeth whitening attempts fail. The stain is deeper than surface level.
Another environmental factor is that so many of the boomer generation patients have been exposed to tetracycline, which was a common antibiotic taken by their mothers while they were pregnant. In this day and age, what we know now is that tetracycline causes permanent gray staining to the enamel of the teeth which may present an overall discoloration or a gray band. In these particular cases, porcelain veneers are literally the only way to achieve any color improvement. A porcelain veneer is a very thin layer of porcelain permanently bonded to one’s teeth to result in a permanent brighter shade, that will not fade, stain, or lose shine.
If you’ve tried whitening before and nothing seems to work, know that there are other options out. You can achieve the smile you deserve. I solve these problems daily in my Raleigh dental office; and can help with available options for you, too!
Smile,
Justin Russo, DDS
919-890-5417
