What Are Those White Spots On My Teeth? Dental Fluorosis and Treatment
Dental fluorosis is a condition in which your tooth enamel is hypomineralized during the developmental stage, leaving white areas on your pearly whites.
People who have dental fluorosis have tooth enamel marked with white spots or lines. It’s estimated that slightly less than a quarter of people between the ages of 6-49 have some form of dental fluorosis.
Although essentially harmless, dental fluorosis can impact the appearance of your smile with chalky white spots. For some people, the effect will be subtle and may not require treatment. For others, their dental fluorosis may be severe and impact their confidence in their smile.
Regardless of how noticeable your dental fluorosis is, let’s discuss how dental fluorosis happens and what your treatment options are for this effect on your smile.
How Dental Fluorosis Happens
Dental fluorosis can only happen in childhood while the teeth are still forming underneath the gumline, so adults can’t get fluorosis and neither can children whose permanent teeth have already come in.
Getting too much fluoride whether from drinking water or toothpaste is the culprit behind dental fluorosis. It causes the tooth enamel to not have the nutrients it needs to properly form while teeth are still developing.
If you have children, your dentist in Asheville can help you determine the right amount of fluoride for your child. While it’s important to get enough fluoride, getting too much isn’t beneficial.
Fortunately, dental fluorosis typically does not impact the health of your smile, only the appearance. Depending on the severity of your dental fluorosis, you may want to seek treatment from your Asheville dentist.
The marks that dental fluorosis causes can’t be completely removed, but you can greatly minimize their appearance with treatment. Here are your options for treating dental fluorosis so that your smile can be its best!
Teeth Whitening
A professional teeth whitening can help make your fluorosis virtually invisible, especially if you have a mild form of fluorosis.
Your Asheville dentist can talk with you about the level of whitening you want to receive. From a couple shades later to ultra-bright, you can customize your level of whitening to ensure you’re completely satisfied with your new smile.
Teeth whitening can prevent your fluorosis from being the element that stands out the most about your smile. Instead, you can make your beautiful white smile the center of attention for all the right reasons!
Having your teeth whitened is simple at Saunders DDS. Let us make custom fit trays, give you the whitening agent and show you how to use them. In no time at all you will have a brighter smile!
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding can be an appropriate form of treatment when your dental fluorosis is limited to certain areas of your smile.
The process of dental bonding uses a tooth-colored composite resin that bonds to the tooth enamel, effectively covering up any places affected by dental fluorosis and giving you a seamless smile.
Dental bonding might not be the best treatment choice if your dental fluorosis is extensive. For this, teeth whitening, dental veneers, or enamel microabrasion may be better choices.
Dental Crowns
If your teeth have any kind of structural damage in addition to fluorosis, a dental crown may be able to help protect your tooth and cover up your dental fluorosis. Dental crowns help prevent decay and keep your tooth from experiencing further damage.
Dental crowns won’t be an ideal form of treatment for everyone with dental fluorosis, but for some people, they can make a huge difference in both the appearance and function of their smile!
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain that resurface the front of your teeth. They can fix many cosmetic issues, from teeth with deep staining to pointy or chipped teeth. Veneers may be a good option if your dental fluorosis is extreme and can easily be seen.
You can customize your porcelain veneers to be the right color, size, and shape to fit your smile. They will be definitively bonded to your natural teeth, so this is considered an irreversible form of treatment.
Since veneers are permanent, it’s important to discuss the possibility of dental veneers with your dentist in Asheville to be sure it’s the right choice. You may qualify for dental veneers if you have extensive dental fluorosis in addition to other cosmetic issues with your smile.
Microabrasion
Enamel microabrasion is a technique that involves carefully abrading off a tiny amount of tooth enamel to help minimize the appearance of your dental fluorosis.
Essentially, microabrasion is a technique used to brighten the appearance of your smile but in a physical way, not a chemical one like a typical teeth whitening. This form of treatment has been shown to be effective in treating dental fluorosis to help your smile have a bright, cohesive appearance.
Enamel microabrasion is considered to be a safe procedure that only removes a small portion of tooth enamel. Your Asheville dentist will take precautionary measures to minimize any temporary tooth sensitivity you may experience after the procedure.
Combination Treatments
In order to achieve the most successful treatment for dental fluorosis, you may have the option to utilize treatments in conjunction with each other.
Your smile is unique, so its treatment will need to be unique as well. Depending on your smile, your Asheville dentist can help you decide what the best course of treatment is for minimizing the appearance of dental fluorosis.
Whether you decide on teeth whitening in addition to dental bonding or microabrasion, your dental fluorosis may be able to be treated successfully with a combination of the most effective treatments for you.
Conclusion
If your dental fluorosis has affected your confidence in your smile, schedule a consultation with your dentist in Asheville, Dr. Saunders, to discuss treatment options. When dental fluorosis has impacted your life, it’s time to get the smile you deserve.
It’s essential to discuss any and all options with your Asheville dentist thoroughly before deciding on the right one. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Saunders DDS for treatment of your dental fluorosis today!