Get that sassy smile back
Just as a picture tells a story, so does a smile. With age, however, even the brightest of smiles may lose some zip from tooth discoloration. Years of drinking cola, tea and coffee, or smoking wreak havoc on those pearly whites.
To get that sparkle back, John Petrone, DDS, co-director of Virtua's dental residency program, suggests tooth whitening. The process begins with a dental consultation.
"The type of discoloration a person has will determine which bleaching method will provide the best results," says Dr. Petrone. For immediate results, there's an in-office laser procedure, however, the most commonly used approach is home bleaching. A dentist designs a tray to fit an individual's mouth. The tray, which holds a bleaching gel, fits over the teeth. It can be worn twice a day for one hour over a two-week period, or left in the mouth overnight for a week.
Either way, the results are sparkling.