Stained and discoloured teeth can be a cosmetic concern for those who are self conscious about their smiles.
If you are concerned and worried about the change in the colour of your teeth you may want to have a quick read of the following.
Stained and Discolored/Yellowed Teeth
What causes stained teeth?
It is inevitable that we will all experience yellowing of our teeth due to the normal ageing process. This is because of the outer enamel layer wearing out and the inner yellower layer showing through. Add to this years of food/beverage consumption, social habits such as smoking/coffee/tea/wines, we will then end up with a yellower shade painted over our teeth.
External stains (Chromogenic stains)
Result from social habits such as tobacco smoking, drinks with high colouration and foods with deep pigmentation. Generally these stains can be removed with the following techniques – air polishing, microabrasion and whitening with peroxide agents.
Internal Stains
Arise from a change in the shade of the deep layer of the tooth known as the sensitive dentine layer. Common causes of such stains are from silver amalgam fillings, root canal fillings, exposure to high concentrations to fluoride at a certain time (young patients who accidentally ingest fluoride toothpastes), high dose antibiotics for young patients, dental trauma and rare dental genetic conditions such as amelogenesis imperfecta. Suitable treatments can be combination of whitening, veneers and or dental crowns.
What can be done about staining?
To manage such problems, our treatments options will need to be comprehensive in nature and so a full-rehabilitation will often be required. If you want to find out more about your current shade and possible options , please contact Epping High Dental for more information.
