Categories: Cosmetic Dental Care

Popular Cosmetic Dentistry Options for Teeth Discoloration

One of the most popular reasons people seek cosmetic dentistry is to improve the color of their teeth. We all start with pearly white teeth, but they pick up stains and discoloration over the years. Fortunately, there is a cosmetic dentistry treatment for any type of stains your teeth pick up.

Ways cosmetic dentistry addresses discolored teeth

There are various reasons why teeth might become discolored, so dentists recommend treatment based on the nature of the stains on the patient’s teeth. Some of the more popular ways to address discolored teeth include:

1. Teeth whitening

Professional teeth whitening treatments are an effective way to drastically improve the color of a person’s teeth. Dentists have access to more potent whitening products that are not sold over-the-counter, leading to faster results. A single in-office treatment can make teeth eight shades whiter.

These treatments involve applying bleaching agents that remove stains from teeth surfaces and deep within them. Hydrogen peroxide is often the active ingredient in these products.

Teeth whitening treatments are effective on stains caused by the coloring agents in foods and beverages, aging, and smoking. Dentists also provide patients with at-home whitening kits they can use from the comfort of their homes.

2. Composite bonding

Composite bonding is often recommended when the patient’s teeth stains cannot be removed with teeth whitening. Examples of stains that cannot be removed with teeth whitening treatment include those caused by tooth decay, tetracycline antibiotics, and fluorosis.

Dentists improve the color of teeth with such stains by covering them with restorations. Composite bonding is the least invasive of the restorations used for this purpose. The treatment does not involve making any permanent alterations to the patient’s teeth. It involves applying a putty-like composite to a tooth and shaping it as needed. The whiteness of the composite can be matched with the patient’s unstained teeth.

3. Veneers

Veneers are thin covers for the front part of teeth. They hide flaws on the tooth, like stains and discoloration that whitening treatments cannot remove.

The conventional way of placing veneers requires the dentist to remove enamel from the front part of the teeth being treated. This permanently destroys their enamel making them defenseless against acids made by oral bacteria. They will always need to be covered with a restoration moving forward.

Veneers are usually recommended for stained teeth when other issues can be simultaneously tackled. In some cases, a dentist might be able to cover up mild to moderate stains with no-prep veneers that do not require shaving off the enamel.

4. Crowns

Crowns are tooth-shaped covers that cover the visible part of a tooth. They might be recommended for a severely stained tooth that is discolored all around. Dentists usually recommend them for teeth that have been stained due to decay. This allows them to restore the tooth’s appearance while protecting it from further decay or damage.