4 Ways to Get a Whiter, Brighter Smile

Sometimes, the walls in your house just need a fresh coat of paint. They’ve been beaten up, scuffed, colored on — life has been hard on them, and they need a quick facelift to look and feel better.

Your teeth are the same way. Life can be hard on them, too, and you may find yourself looking in the mirror and thinking you need a whiter, brighter smile thanks to too much dark food and drink, or maybe it’s just the natural aging process that makes your teeth look more yellow.

If this sounds familiar, you have options. At Portrait Dental, we understand how important an attractive smile is for your and your self-confidence. Here are four ways you can get a whiter, brighter smile.

Teeth whitening

This is probably the solution you thought of first. At Portrait Dental, Dr. Minh Nguyen offers the Philips Zoom chairside teeth whitening process. He covers your tongue and gums with a rubber dam before painting a bleaching solution on each tooth.

Once the solution dries, he uses a special light to trigger a chemical bleaching reaction. After repeating this process three or four times, your teeth will be up to eight shades whiter, and your smile will look a million times better.

Veneers

Sometimes the discoloration on your teeth can be too strong for traditional whitening treatments to work. If this is the case for you, veneers may be a good option. Veneers are ultra-thin ceramic or porcelain shells that Dr. Nguyen attaches to the front of your teeth.

Veneers are a two-visit process. First, he shaves a little enamel off your teeth to make room for the veneers, and then the team will take impressions of your teeth so the veneers can be custom-made in the lab. When your finished veneers come back a few weeks later, they’re attached to the front of your teeth, providing a bright, even smile that looks like a million bucks.

Bonding

Bonding is an alternate treatment instead of veneers that can help whiten discolored teeth. Dr. Nguyen and his team will lightly etch the surface of your teeth before applying a bonding liquid and a plastic resin that is smoothed into the right shape on your teeth before being polished so it looks natural. The resin covers up the discolorations, making your teeth look whiter and more natural again.

Dental cleanings

Finally, your teeth will stay brighter and whiter if you brush twice a day, floss once a day, and visit your dentist a couple of times a year for professional teeth cleaning. Stay consistent with these cleanings, and your teeth will stay in good condition because we’ll be able to catch any issues while they’re still small, and we can recommend the best way to whiten your teeth further if necessary.

If your smile is looking a little dim these days, our team at Portrait Dental can bring it back to life. Just call our Katy, Texas, office at 501-381-1621, or use our online scheduler to book your appointment soon!