Dr. Whitman was happy to help a young lady suffering from a large overbite, crowding, and a peg lateral tooth to improve her smile.
Peg lateral teeth are lateral incisors that are typically genetically inherited and develop into an abnormal shape. The patient shared that she often hid her smile because she felt embarrassed about it, especially her peg lateral tooth. She also was self-conscious about the appearance of her tooth enamel, which was hypocalcified. With hypocalcified enamel, the teeth have an opaque and chalky appearance, disrupting what should be smooth and translucent tooth enamel.
Together with an experienced orthodontist, Dr. Whitman was able to improve the patient’s smile. The orthodontist corrected the overbite, leaving enough space between the front teeth for Dr. Whitman to build up the peg lateral tooth. This extra room allowed Dr. Whitman to place a combination of crowns and veneers on the patient’s six front teeth to hide the appearance of the hypocalcified enamel.
The patient started her orthodontic work at 16 years old and completed it at 17. Once the orthodontic work was complete, Dr. Whitman finished the restorative work. During the first visit, Dr. Whitman prepped the patient’s teeth for the combination of veneers, build-ups, and crowns. The patient was also able to choose the shade of white for her final restorations, which was lighter than the current shade of her teeth. She wanted something that was lighter but still looked natural.
During the second visit, Dr. Whitman and her team completed all of the patient’s restorations—she was extremely happy and excited! The best part about the whole process was the patient’s final result. She shared she was so confident about her new smile and that she could not stop smiling. This patient’s case is a prime example of how having a healthy and beautiful smile isn’t just important for the oral cavity, but for your overall mental wellbeing too!