Everybody wishes that they could have the perfect smile. While some people may have major problems with their smile, for example heavily worn-down teeth or bite issues such as underbites, most people have relatively minor issues in comparison.
One common problem which is fairly minor in the grand scheme of things is dental fluorosis and the presence of white stains on your teeth.
However, even minor issues can still lead to problems with a person’s confidence. We see patients all the time who may have more minor issues, but these still prevent them from smiling around people and cause them to feel uncomfortable in social situations.
Fortunately, there are treatments that we provide that can fix these issues. Meaning that obtaining the perfect smile is no longer just a wish, it is actually very quick, easy, and affordable.
Why do I have white spots on my teeth?
There are many reasons why you may have white spots or stains on your teeth. One of the most common causes that we see is dental fluorosis.
Dental fluorosis occurs when the teeth develop abnormally due to exposure to high levels of fluoride during enamel development. For example, when young children (under the age of eight) repeatedly use too much fluoridated toothpaste before their secondary teeth are fully developed.
This creates aesthetic variations through teeth calcification, presenting as white spots or stains on the surface or subsurface of the tooth.
For the majority of people, this presents itself as a minor cosmetic discrepancy, where a small number of white spots are visible on the teeth, usually near the edges, in such an amount that less than 20% of a given tooth is affected.
What can frequently happen, though, is that people affected with this level of dental fluorosis will attempt to whiten their teeth at home with the idea that whitening will make the tooth uniformly white.
Unfortunately, what is more likely to happen is that the stain will also whiten, and in some cases can actually even become more visible.
Severe dental fluorosis
While much rarer than minor levels of dental fluorosis, severe cases of dental fluorosis do unfortunately occur.
When fluorosis is severe, the calcification of teeth is so disrupted that it actually affects the structure of the tooth. The tooth’s surface becomes bumpy and mottled rather than smooth, leading to what is referred to as pitted teeth.
Problems with colour are still present, only rather than the small white stains that mild fluorosis causes, an individual will have widespread brown stains that go deep within the surface of the tooth.
Severe cases of fluorosis can present as visually similar to widespread cavities, due to the combination of stain colour and surface damage.
How to get rid of white spots on teeth
If you are set on acquiring the teeth of your dreams, then even for minor cases of fluorosis we would advise that you follow our severe dental fluorosis treatment plan.
The treatment that we recommend for patients with fluorosis or any other discolouration of teeth is veneers. This is because ceramic veneers are one of the best ways to treat dental fluorosis and other stains on the tooth.
There are other methods that may be successful, such as enamel micro abrasion or bleaching, but often the best course of action is to opt for veneers and rid yourself of any other cosmetic dental worries that you may have at the same time, such as tooth shape or small gaps.
Patients with severe cases of fluorosis will likely have to receive many veneers, while patients with mild fluorosis might only need one or two teeth treated. You will be advised on what the best course of action is for your specific case when you attend a consultation with your cosmetic dentist.
Cosmetic dental fluorosis treatment at Marylebone Smile Clinic
At Marylebone Smile Clinic, we are big believers in the power of porcelain veneers for fluorosis treatment and more.
Quite often, when presented with the available choices, our patients opt for veneers due to their ease of application, minimal levels of treatment recovery time, and affordable cost compared to other dental treatments.
If you would like to know more about receiving veneers at Marylebone Smile Clinic, take a look at our Smile Gallery or get in touch with us and book a consultation.