I’ve had some white spots on my front teeth ever since getting my braces off. It’s been a while. My dentist insists my teeth are healthy and everything is fine. But, the way they look makes me really self-conscious. I’m just starting my career out. I want to feel confident when I smile. I wondered if something like Zoom Whitening would work? My dentist doesn’t do it but I could find one who did and just use them for this one procedure. What do you think?
Tina
Dear Tina,
While Zoom Whitening is a fantastic way to get your teeth beautifully white in just one appointment, it will not work for your white spots.
Professional teeth whitening, whether using at-home whitening trays or Zoom Whitening will whiten your teeth evenly. So, if you have white spots, it won’t make your teeth match.
I’m sorry your dentist dismissed your concerns. There are generally two types of dentists. The first are dentists with an engineering mindset. They like to fix things, but aren’t that interested in the aesthetics of your smile. The second are dentists interested in the cosmetic side of things. They like creating beauty.
Your dentist is obviously from the first group. There isn’t anything structurally wrong with your teeth so she sees no need to mess with them. It’s the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mindset.
Dentists interested in cosmetic dentistry understand the desire to have an attractive smile and the confidence that comes with that. This is the kind of dentist you need to fix your white spots.
Two Ways to Fix Your White Spots
Option One: Dental Bonding
A good cosmetic dentist can use dental bonding to remove the white spots and make your teeth look uniform in color. This uses a composite resin. It should last for several years but will need to be replaced more often than the second option, but it is also less expensive.
Option Two: Porcelain Veneers
These use small wafers of porcelain that are bonded to your teeth. In the hands of a skilled cosmetic dentist, they will give you a stunning smile. You can get them on just the teeth with the white spots, or you can use porcelain veneers to have a complete smile makeover done.
This important thing, no matter which procedure you choose is that you make sure you use a highly-skilled cosmetic dentist. The easiest way to do this would be to find an AACD accredited dentist.
This blog is brought to you by Hilton Head Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Bonnie Rothwell.
