Royal Oak and Birmingham, MI
For generations, dentists have been using fluoride to help patients in their fight against cavities and tooth decay. However, did you know too much fluoride could be a bad thing?
What are all of these white spots?
Too much fluoride exposure, especially when your teeth still are developing, can affect the formation of tooth enamel – the outermost structure of your teeth. This can result in cosmetic issues, such as white spots that form on the surface of teeth—a condition that is referred to clinically as fluorosis.
Is fluoride good for my teeth?
Generally speaking, fluoride is a good thing for your teeth. It actually serves as a catalyst that affects how quickly tooth enamel forms. An excess amount of fluoride, however, means the enamel forms before all the supporting minerals in a tooth can establish themselves.
What is fluorosis?
If you have these small white spots on your tooth, this is considered a low grade of fluorosis. More severe stages of fluorosis can manifest as opaque areas on teeth, all the way to the most advanced cases of fluorosis where your teeth appear darkly stained, corroded or pitted.
Teeth whitening to treat fluorosis
Many people with just mild cases of fluorosis are dissatisfied with how their smile looks because of the white spots. Certain cases of cosmetic fluorosis will respond to teeth whitening procedures, especially the professional deep bleaching treatments that whiten the rest of the tooth to match the shade of the lesions. However, receiving a whitening treatment also may whiten the lesions as well, making them continue to stand out. You should seek the care of a qualified cosmetic dentist for any whitening procedure, as a professional whitening treatment will yield better results and cause less tooth sensitivity than the whitening kits that are available for purchase over the counter in stores.
Veneers to hide white spots
The most consistent treatment for cosmetic fluorosis is to receive a veneer. These ultra thin porcelain shells cover the existing defects in your tooth enamel, concealing the lesions and creating the appearance of smooth, natural, healthy tooth enamel. Advancements in cosmetic dentistry mean that the dental porcelain used by your Royal Oak cosmetic dentist to fabricate each veneer is of the highest quality, and even has the same light-reflecting appearance as natural tooth enamel.
Save severely damaged teeth with a dental crown
Advanced cases of fluorosis can do structural damage to teeth, leaving them vulnerable to decay because of the damaged enamel. If you have extensive decay in a tooth, a dental crown can possibly save it. In these cases, your Royal Oak dentist can install a dental crown to protect and restore your tooth. Made of the same top-quality dental porcelain as veneers, these crowns replace the exterior of the tooth, protecting the interior structure and preventing potential tooth loss.
Cosmetic Dentistry in Royal Oak
If you have noticed these white spots developing on your teeth, seek the care of a qualified, experienced cosmetic dentist to resolve those aesthetic issues and prevent the fluorosis from advancing to more serious stages that can damage the structure of your teeth. The office of Hartrick Dentistry can treat fluorosis in any stage. Call our office today at (248) 549-0950 to schedule a consultation.
Hartrick Dentistry is proud to serve the oral health needs of patients in the areas of Royal Oak and Birmingham, Michigan.