Peg Laterals and Whitening

Sometimes a patients’ smile can be cosmetically enhanced by making very small changes.

The patient was concerned with the shape of her lateral incisors. Incisors that look like this are called peg laterals. Dr. Markowitz suggested that Porcelain Veneers would be the best solution in this case. Veneers made from Porcelain last much longer than composites and they are much stronger.

The patients’ teeth were whitened in the dental office using a professional whitening system that whitens teeth in about an hour. Following the whitening procedure, Dr. Markowitz installed Porcelain Veneers and placed them on top of the small lateral incisors closing the interproximal spaces and creating a balanced smile. To improve the cosmetic appearance of the patients’ smile, Dr. Markowitz, gently using a soft tissue diode laser to change the length of the front teeth evening out the gingiva of the front teeth.

The patient has a renewed sense of confidence with her smile, completed in a single visit.

Porcelain veneers: A thin tooth-colored porcelain shell that is cemented over the surface of a tooth. Veneers can correct the appearance and function of worn enamel, misshapen teeth, chipped teeth, and uneven spacing or alignment of a single tooth as in this case.

Peg Lateral: Peg Lateral Incisors. Peg lateral incisors describe a condition where the second tooth on either side of the upper front teeth does not develop correctly and is small, often pointed, and looks like a cone.

Cause: A variety of conditions, most of them hereditary, can cause peg teeth.