You may have looked at things like whitening or veneers to fix your tooth discolorations and stains, but have you ever heard of tooth microabrasion? Read on to learn about cosmetic microabrasion to see if this procedure might be a good fit for your needs.
What Is Tooth Microabrasion?
When you go to your dentist for a regular cleaning, he or she may use a prophy paste to polish your teeth. This procedure is a type of microabrasion, as the the paste contains abrasive particles, like feldspar and pumice, that can polish your teeth. These polishing pastes can be fine grit for mild stains or extra coarse for tough stains.
However, if prophy paste doesn't work during your regular check-ups, you can visit a cosmetic dentist for more intensive enamel microabrasion. During this procedure, your dentist will rub a mild acidic gel—along with abrasive particles—into your teeth with an ultrasonic instrument.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Tooth Microabrasion?
People with dental fluorosis are good candidates for microabrasion. Fluorosis is a condition where teeth become discolored after too much fluoride is ingested. The discoloration caused by fluorosis isn't a superficial stain, so microabrasion is beneficial since the gel can penetrate the enamel.
Other people who can benefit from microabrasion include the following:
Those who have coffee or tea stains that aren't removed by prophy paste
Those who have tobacco stains that aren't removed by prophy paste
Those who have stains after the removal of orthodontic appliances
However, not everyone with stains is a good candidate for microabrasion. This procedure is not recommended for people with fully erupted teeth because fully erupted teeth are needed to hold rubber dams in place. Rubber dams protect patients from acidic gels and keep the site clear of debris and moisture.
Microabrasion is also not a good option for people with stains from tetracycline or people with development disorders like dentigenous imperfecta, as the stains are too close to the dentin and it would not be safe too abrade the enamel that far in.
Besides Removing Stains, What Are Some Pros and Cons of This Procedure?
Tooth bleaching or whitening on its own will only lighten your teeth as a whole. So while your stains may lighten, they will not match the stained enamel, which will change shades as well. Microabrasion is beneficial because it focuses on just one aspect of the tooth that needs correcting. And because microabrasion is minimally invasive, it can be combined with tooth whitening afterwards.
Some people may want to get veneers to cover their stains, but veneers can be costly if you have lots of stains that you want to correct. One benefit of microabrasion is that it is a more economical cosmetic procedure.
Contact a cosmetic dentist in your area to learn more about this procedure and other options at your disposal so that you can remove stains and get the smile you want.
To learn more, contact a cosmetic dentist.
Share30 June 2020
Do you care for your teeth like you should? Most people brush their teeth, but so many people rush through this process and are not as careful as they should be. Still others avoid flossing. A lack of dental care over the years can lead to increased decay. Thankfully, we have dentists who can treat decay with fillings, crowns, and in some cases, root canals. Dentists also provide preventative care. They can clean your teeth and use things like fluoride treatments to strengthen your enamel. The more you know about dental care, the better you'll be able to care for your mouth, so feel free to read some of the articles on this website.