Combat the Effects of Aging on your Teeth

As teeth age, they may grow dull or gray in color. This article describes veneers as a technique for regaining a nice, white smile.

Do you find that your teeth just aren’t as white as they used to be? Maybe you’ve tried whitening toothpastes and treatments, but are having no luck regaining that pearly white look you remember from when you were younger. Unfortunately, it may be just the natural effects of aging that you are dealing with.

There are many things that might stain your teeth over time. Tobacco use is the most obvious, but coffee and tea drinkers may also find that their teeth become discolored over time. Certain fruits can cause long-term, permanent staining of the teeth. As well, some medications may cause permanent discoloration. But even if you’ve managed to avoid all of these potential problem-causing habits, the natural thinning of enamel as you age may be causing your teeth to look more gray and less lustrous than you would like.

How does enamel work?

Many people don’t realize that enamel is just the thin outer surface of your tooth. The hard inner portion of your tooth is called dentin. Inside the dentin is the soft, pulpy material of the tooth that leads into the root. It is the color of the dentin that determines how white your teeth look. Since enamel is transparent, light goes through it and reflects off the dentin beneath. The dentin gives your tooth its color, the enamel gives you that lustrous quality that makes the teeth shine.

Unfortunately, as we age, the enamel on our teeth naturally begins to get thinner. This can create obvious difficulties, more susceptibility to decay, but also contributes to cosmetic problems with tooth color. As the enamel gets thinner, the color of the dentin beneath may be more prevalent. Your teeth may begin to look flat, less shiny, or even brown or gray in appearance.

Do I have to resign myself to dull teeth as I get older?

Absolutely not. A fairly recent achievement in the world of dentistry is the ceramic veneer, a technique likened to applying new enamel to the front of your teeth. For cosmetic effect, veneers are typically applied only to the teeth that show most when you talk and smile, generally the front six on the top jaw. Veneers are made of porcelain, a white, glass-like substance that is similar to enamel. With techniques that are little-invasive and can be done right in your dentist’s chair, you can regain that pearly white smile.

How does the process work?

Veneer placement is a permanent process of adhering porcelain covers to the front of your teeth. You won’t be bothered with special cleaning or removal of anything from your mouth for cleaning. Once placed, you care for veneers in the same manner you care for your regular teeth. You are encouraged not to chew hard items such as ice, your fingernails, or pencil ends, but with proper caution you can typically be expected a veneer to last about ten years before needing replaced.

In order to place a veneer, your dentist may need to remove a slight amount from the surface of your tooth through a shaving or buffing process. This simply makes room for the veneer (.5-.7 millimeters thick) so that your tooth does not feel bulky or bigger than you are accustomed to. There are even new types of veneers that are thinner than the traditional type and require even less be removed from the original tooth. Ask your dentist about your options and what would best recover your smile.

Once your teeth have been prepped for veneer placement, the dentist will make a mold of your mouth using dental putty. This mold will be sent to a dental laboratory where veneers will be hand-crafted to fit you personally. Your dentist will be able to help you select a color that achieves the look you hope to regain. It will likely take a couple of weeks for the veneers to be completed. Your dentist will then bond them to your teeth using a dental cement that adheres quickly when a special light is shone on the teeth. This triggers the chemical agent that makes the bonding possible.

Are veneers safe?

Ceramic veneers are perfectly safe. They are a simple cover for your teeth that will mimic your tooth’s natural enamel, bringing back that shine and lustrous white quality to your smile. Your dentist can talk with you in detail about the process and help you decide if veneer treatment is a good option for you.