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Dental health during childhood offers a great set of challenges. According to recent studies, teenagers are at the highest risk of dental disease. During these formative years, a number of changes strike them. They become more independent in eating and drinking choices and this can harm their oral health significantly.

Some of the cosmetic treatments that can work great for them are:

• Bleaching: It brightens the color of the teeth that are stained or discolored. Bleaching changes the teeth color without removing any tooth structure.

One method is to go with in-office bleaching, in which concentrated bleaching agent is applied to the teeth and then activated with light or heat.

Another choice is to have a bleaching kit; which one can get from the dental office and use at home. It requires two dental visits. In first visit, dentist takes the model of child’s teeth and in second visit, child picks-up the custom-made bleaching tray with the bleaching gel. Child wears this tray filled with bleaching gel for several nights to get sparkling teeth.

Bleaching is a worthy choice and has very few side effects. This approach is best for those children whose front permanent teeth are fully erupted.

• Microabrasion: It is good for those who desire to change the color of certain areas on the teeth. With abrasion and mild acid, dentists targets microscopic bits of discolored tooth enamel. It removes little tooth structure and requires one single visit to get it done.

• Bonding and veneers: These treatments restore the shape of chipped, pitted or broken teeth. Bonding involves cementing of tooth-colored plastic or veneers to the teeth. The treatments require very little loss of tooth structure and helps in restoring the natural appearance of the teeth. In this, the bonding material is applied to the tooth; the material is then properly shaped and hardened with light or chemical process.

Veneers are thin tooth colored shells made of plastic or porcelain. These are custom-made in dental laboratory.

Dr. Shahin Safarian is one of the best Chula Vista dentists and suggests avoiding having hard foods, nail biting etc. after having bonding and veneers.

• Porcelain crowns: It’s a restorative and cosmetic treatment for discolored, broken, damaged or chipped teeth. Parents can consider this treatment for their children as it is stronger than other choices and also lasts for many years.

Porcelain crowns should be considered for fully erupted permanent teeth at its adult position. 

In this, the tooth is shaped by removing a part of the outside structure and fitting of custom made crowns over the tooth.

• Orthodontic treatment: The crooked and crowded teeth can be corrected with this treatment. For this, braces and other orthodontic appliances are used. They guide the teeth into proper position and correct bite problems. It can even prevent the need for tooth extractions.

Orthodontic treatment takes years to correct the smile but it improves the look of child’s smile and help in easy cleaning of the teeth.

Monitoring your child’s oral health and helping in making his smile better can provide him the best dental care. It’s never too late to get your child on track towards a lifetime of good oral health.