Question:
Dr. Sam, my teeth seems to be much duller and more discolored than others in my age group. I do not smoke. What could cause this and how can it be fixed?
Answer:
Let’s talk about discolored or dark teeth.
Teeth can be discolored for a variety of reasons. It could be in our genes to have a darker color to our teeth. We could have been exposed to tetracycline when we were a child, that would have caused our teeth to be permanently darker. Our tooth enamel could be weaker due to childhood illness, which made it easier for the teeth to stain.
The good news is that the color of the teeth can be hidden. The tooth enamel can be stronger. The teeth can be less sensitive and cosmetically we can have any shade we would like without having to get our teeth ground down. The entire process is non-invasive. Many dental labs offer porcelain veneers that require little to no grinding to your natural teeth as Lumineers and Vivineers. In my office, at the present time I am working with a local ceramist that brings the work to my office before it is glazed. This allows me to control the shade and the shapes of the teeth for an individualized and customized look.
Today, the patients want their work to look natural. They want to look better but do not want fake white teeth. They want their porcelain veneers to look great but be undetectable. Today’s patients have raised the bar of quality. The bulky, fake denture looking teeth are not longer good enough. Today’s patients want naturally looking teeth that are healthy and white. It takes the artistic eye of the dentist to deliver.