Many people know the discomfort of yellow or discolored teeth. The way they make you want to smile in pictures with your mouth closed or how they cause you to worry about what other people think of your oral health.
Often, tooth discoloration only affects the outer part of the enamel, meaning it isn’t indicative of oral health issues. Still, your less-than-white teeth could be wreaking havoc on your confidence.
Our providers Fadi Beydoun, DMD, MS, Alexander Kimon, DMD, and Karina Zaygermakher, DMD — as well as the rest of our staff — understand the importance of a radiant smile. This is why Downtown Dental Studios offers several different treatment options for yellow and discolored teeth.
It’s critical to recognize that, in many cases, the issues associated with yellow teeth are usually cosmetic. Any tooth color between white and yellowish or off-white is perfectly normal. But you may still be concerned about why your teeth are yellow.
Most of the time, this is simply a sign of aging. The white enamel of your teeth may start to wear away as you get older, showing the yellow underneath. This isn’t a sign of a health problem, although there are a few medical conditions and medications that actually can turn your teeth yellow.
If you’ve been able to rule out these problems and you’re simply looking for a confidence booster, getting whiter teeth is as easy as anything! All you have to do is choose the best treatment for your needs.
Yellow teeth can be given a whiter appearance in several ways. There are several options available to you, depending on which will best suit your situation.
You can use certain tooth-whitening products at home, such as certain types of toothpaste and mouthwash. Of course, this won’t create the effects that professional treatments will, but we’re happy to help recommend a few options.
Dr. Zaygermakher offers Phillips ® Zoom in-office teeth whitening, a fabulous and relatively new procedure that uses a three-pointed approach. The first is a whitening gel, and the second is LED light technology, which helps to speed up the gel’s whitening effects. The final part of the process is Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (or ACP), which helps to protect the tooth enamel, meaning you’ll have a whiter smile for longer.
If you’re dealing with a situation where you have one or a few discolored teeth, you might want to consider a treatment like dental crowns. Those who want a more dramatic effect overall might choose veneers. The former is a porcelain or ceramic cap that gives the effect of natural teeth, while the latter is a thinner piece of porcelain that also goes over the natural tooth.
Dental crowns are usually best for one discolored or damaged tooth, while veneers can be a great option if many of your teeth are discolored or suffering from imperfections. Dental crowns are heavier duty, so you might not want them unless you need them, but they can be a great choice in the instance of a particularly damaged tooth.
This will depend highly on what you are looking for, how damaged your teeth are, and what long-term goals you have in mind. In addition, you’ll need to consider if you want one or all your teeth to be whiter and if you’ll need extra protection for your teeth. Our providers can help you determine which choice is best for your situation.
Whatever choice you make, we believe everyone should have a smile that makes them feel confident, happy, and healthy. If you’d like to learn more about your options for whitening yellow or discolored teeth, make an appointment online or call our New York City office at 212-964-3337.
