Have Your Teeth Lost Their Luster? Here's Why
Healthy, young teeth are lustrous like the surface of a pearl. Unfortunately, some people will notice that their teeth lose their luster, regardless of their color. If you've noticed that your teeth just don't seem to have that gleam that they once did, then it's probably because of this simple problem. Here's what you can do to get it back.
What That Luster Is
The luster you associate with young and healthy teeth is actually your tooth enamel. When it's fresh and new, it has a shiny quality to it that makes it look like a pearl. However, as it breaks down, it loses that appearance and becomes more dull and flat-looking.
Unfortunately, everyone loses some dental enamel over time. It's mostly lost due to dental neglect and the things that one consumes, like acidic beverages, but some enamel loss is simply due to aging. Regardless of the cause of your enamel loss, it's the source of your problem.
Whitening Won't Get it Back
Unfortunately, tooth whitening isn't a solution here. A professional tooth whitening service can give your teeth a wonderful shade of whiteness, but they can't restore luster. Thankfully, a different service available from your cosmetic dentist can.
What Will Get it Back
Instead of looking at tooth whitening, you should look at dental veneers. Veneers are a cosmetic application that is designed to give you the appearance of perfectly straight, even, symmetrical, and lustrous teeth.
Dental veneers are essentially tiny plates of porcelain that are mounted to the front of your teeth. Porcelain is known for having that same pearlescent quality as enamel, which makes it a perfect choice for applications like crowns and veneers. With dental veneers, no one will be able to tell that you have veneers, but they will be dazzled by the quality of your smile.
The process of getting dental veneers is an easy one. Your dentist will examine your teeth to ensure that they're healthy. If they are, then you'll move on to a consultation. This is where you'll get to choose exactly what it is that you're looking for in a veneer. Your dentist will have samples for you to look at, and you'll be able to choose the shade that you want.
After that, you'll come back one more time to have the veneers mounted. They're adhered with dental cement, and there's typically no need for sedation or numbing agents. Once they're on, you can immediately go back to your daily life, eating and drinking as you normally would.