I am from Guatemala and now live in the United States. I’m getting my teeth sorted out. Finally. There are two things I want to do: get rid of fluorosis stains and get my teeth straight. Here are my questions. If I used dental bonding for the fluorosis stains would the bonding be strong enough for braces?
Kaapo
Dear Kaapo,
Your name is awesome. I looked it up and it means God’s bravest man (at least according to this one website I found). As for your questions, you have some great options here. For those readers who do not know what fluorosis stains are, let me help you out. For those who are unaware of fluorosis stains, it is a mottling that happens to teeth when they get too much fluoride. It does not happen often in the United States but is still common in many other countries.
For mild fluorosis stains dental bonding is perfectly adequate. Your dentist can gently remove the stained enamel for about 1/2 a millimeter, then replace the missing portion with composite bonding. The bonding can be made to match the color and translucency of your natural teeth. If you have more moderate to severe fluorosis, then you will want porcelain veneers to cover them. Both will require someone skilled in cosmetic dentistry.
As to straightening your teeth, I would first look at having Invisalign done first. This can straighten your teeth without the need for the metal wires and brackets you get with traditional braces. Instead, it uses clear aligners. In that case, you would not have to worry about the braces at all. If, however, you have a very complicated case and Invisalign is not an option, you can have traditional braces with dental bonding. In that case, just make sure your dentist does a double etching for the bonding. Studies have shown that makes it an equal bond to normal enamel.
This blog is brought to you by Baton Rouge Dentist Dr. Steven Collins.