Learn About The Treatments Our Santa Monica Cosmetic Dentists Use To Lighten Smiles

Written by Dr. Follette on Dec 27, 2016

Many dental patients, of many ages, meet with our Santa Monica cosmetic dentists because they want to improve their dental aesthetics. Dental staining, discoloration, and dulling can all make your smile look older, damaged, and unhealthy. The good news is that there are treatments that will minimize these issues and help you refresh the appearance of their smiles. Keep reading to learn more about commonly used treatment options.

You are probably already aware of over the counter dental whitening options. These kits, which are found in drug stores, usually use gel strips or mouthpieces to apply a whitening formulation to your dental enamel. While these kits are somewhat effective, they do not deliver as dramatic or expedient results are professional treatments.

Professional whitening treatment allows our team to use a more concentrated and effective whitening formulation to lift existing stains. Many people are able to lighten their smiles by 8 shades or more using professional whitening. Professional whitening sessions can be repeated over time in order to intensify and compound the whitening results.

There are also multiple cosmetic options that cover unsightly enamel with more attractive substances. Dental bonding, for example, covers natural enamel with customized dental resin. Once the resin is cured—and thus bonded to the dental surface—the enamel is hard, durable, and shiny like natural enamel.

Another option is to use customized porcelain veneers to resurface your smile. Every porcelain veneer is perfected in size, shape, and color so that it looks perfectly natural when applied to the patient’s real tooth.

When you meet with our Santa Monica cosmetic dentists, we can help you assess your treatment options, and, ultimately, choose the right treatment for you and your smile. As always, feel free to reach out to our team by calling our office or using the Contact Us page on our website!