I have enamel hypoplasia, which has led to me becoming uncomfortable in social situations. I recently heard there are cosmetic solutions for this. Do you have any recommendations for me?

Dudley

Dear Dudley,

I’m glad you wrote. I am going to start by explaining what enamel hypoplasia is for those who may be reading but are not aware of this condition. This is a physical defect where tooth enamel is not completely formed. It can happen because of a genetic condition or because of serious illness that occurs during the same time the teeth are still forming. Teeth are generally forming between birth to twelve years of age.

Now for the solution. The treatment you get will depend on the severity of the hypoplasia. In the image above, I’ve shown both mild and severe hypoplasia. With mild hypoplasia, you can have dental bonding done in order to even out the color on the teeth. If you want your teeth whiter, you will need to have teeth whitening done. Just make sure you have the teeth whitening done before you have the dental bonding done. This is because the whitening will not affect your bonding. So, get your teeth the color you want them and then your cosmetic dentist can match the bonding to that color.

If you have more severe hypoplasia, then dental bonding will not be a good solution for you. In that case, you would need to have porcelain veneers done. These are tiny wafers of porcelain that will completely cover the fronts of your teeth as well as hug the sides. These can do more than cover the stains. They can change just about anything about your teeth, including the shape, size, and color. This is the Hollywood type of smile makeover you see celebrities get.

This blog is brought to you by Auburn, AL Dentist Dr. Alan D. Yount.