Teeth can be staineed naturally(from birth) or through environmental factors (smoking, drinking, drugs etc). Conditions like fluorosis, tetracycline staining, enamel hypoplasia, amelogenesis and dentinogenesis imperfecta etc, generally present various shades of undesirable discolouration.
whatever the cause of teeth staining, the good news is that there is a solution for every case. Here are some solutions available.
- Scaling and polishing or teeth cleaning. This procedure removes plaques, calculus, and most external or extrinsic stains etc, from the tooth surface, revealing the natural colour of the teeth. This is sufficient for people whose main problem is external adherent stains.
- Tooth bleaching. This involves the application of bleaching agent to the tooth surface causing oxidation of the stains between the fissures and crevices on the tooth surface This is what most patients refer to as ‘tooth whitening’ when, in fact, any procedure that can improve or whiten the tooth colour can be referred to as tooth whitening. This procedure works better for those with internalised stains from smoking, coffee or other coloured drinks.
- Direct composite resin bonding. This involves the application of composite resin to the prepared tooth surface to mask the undesirable underlying discolouration. This technique works best for patients with both tooth discolouration and tooth surface defect but with sufficient enamel still left.
- Crowns. This is a cap in the shape, size, and desired colour of the tooth, cemented unto the prepared tooth surface. This is mainly used for reconstructing missing portions of teeth but since in can be made in different shades, it can as well be used to restore desired tooth colour-white. various materials are available for this procedure.
- Veneers. These are thin coverings attached to the outer teeth surface with an adhesive to hide cosmetic issues such as gaps between teeth, chipped or stained teeth, or badly shaped teeth. it is the modern gold standard for restoring ‘whiteness’ to teeth that are naturally stained, which will not respond to tooth bleaching. with the other method outlined above. It may be the best option for severely stained or malformed teeth.
from the above it should be noted that the best solution for stained teeth depends on factors like the kind/source of the staines, the tooth position in the mouth, how badly the tooth surface is damaged, etc. So, the best solution for stained teeth really depends on factors that the dentist has to assess to give you the solution that best fits your case.
We at Total Dental Care Clinic take a holistic look at your teeth before coming up with a tailor-made plan for the management of your tooth stains. Visit us today for professional consultation.
