Have you always wanted a whiter, brighter, more beautiful smile?
Patients with whiter teeth tend to feel more confident when they smile. Whitening your teeth can take years off your appearance and leave you feeling happy and more confident. Discolored teeth are a common dental concern that we treat every day.
Fuller Dental offers a range of teeth whitening options for improving the appearance of your smile. We offer cosmetic smile makeovers and quick and effective teeth whitening treatments.
Treatment for Tooth Stains
Treatment for tooth discoloration will vary depending on the cause. Your Fuller Dentist will provide a complete oral health exam to determine the optimal treatment option. Combining treatments will help some patients create the whiter, brighter smile they want.
- Tooth Whitening: Teeth whitening is a highly effective, cost-efficient, and safe cosmetic treatment that can positively impact a patient’s smile. We offer in-office teeth whitening, which can whiten your teeth in just over an hour. We also offer at-home whitening as an easy and convenient way to brighten your smile.
- Dental Veneers: This popular cosmetic dentistry treatment is a thin, custom-made shell that covers your natural tooth to brighten it instantly. The veneer will blend with the rest of your smile and will feel comfortable due to skillful artistry and the use of high-quality materials.
- Dental Bonding: Teeth bonding is minimally invasive and can usually be completed in a single visit, instantly leaving your smile whiter. Bonding uses a resin material that matches the natural color of teeth. Your dentist will cure it to the teeth using hardening light. The teeth being treated will blend in very well with the rest of your natural teeth.
- Dental Crowns: A dental crown covers the entire tooth and is permanently bonded into place instantly, leaving your teeth whiter and more durable. They are stain and decay resistant and can last for many years.
Causes of Tooth Stains
Yellow Teeth
As we age, the enamel on the teeth can wear down, leaving teeth looking yellow or discolored. The yellowish tint comes from exposure to the tooth’s inner layer called dentin. Dentin is naturally yellow in color. As the enamel wears away, dentin makes the small look dull and aged.
Teeth whitening options are great for treating this type of tooth stain. We encourage patients to avoid smoking and highly acidic or dark-colored beverages such as coffee and red wine.
White Spots
Ultra-white spots on the teeth can be visually distracting. Overexposure to fluoride can lead to white spots as the teeth were developing. Professional whitening kits, dental veneers, or tooth bonding can treat white spots on teeth.
Brown or Dark Spots
Trauma can cause dark and brown spots to form on the tooth. Dark discoloration can also be a result of the use of certain prescription medications. This staining is typically resistant to whitening gels and may require alternative cosmetic treatment. Bonding, veneers, or dental crowns can cover a damaged or darkly discolored tooth.
Discolored Teeth FAQs
Discolored teeth are a cosmetic problem almost any person struggles with at some point. Learn more about this condition by reading the answers to these frequently asked questions.
Can a discolored tooth be saved?
Yes, we can save a discolored tooth no matter what kind of staining it has. We offer multiple different options, including professional teeth whitening and porcelain veneers. We assess your tooth and determine the root cause of the staining before we proceed with treatment. It ensures that we use a method that fits your specific case.
Are there complications with discolored teeth?
Discolored teeth are more likely to have cavities and other oral health problems. Tobacco and poor oral hygiene are both causes of tooth discoloration. These things increase your chances of having small holes in your teeth or gum disease and inflammation.
Do discolored teeth keep getting worse?
Yes. If you don’t treat them, discoloration continues to get worse. If an infection causes it, it continues growing inside the tooth. When the cause is diet and lifestyle habits, the more you participate in those activities and eat those things, they’ll continue to stain your teeth.
Does tooth discoloration mean the tooth is dead?
Not always, but sometimes it can be. If your tooth is a black or grey color, that’s most commonly a dead tooth. Brown and yellow stains are often due to tobacco use, drinking coffee, or natural discoloration that happens as we age. They can also be caused by plaque and tartar buildup.
What causes teeth to turn brown at the gum line?
Especially at your gum line, brown staining is commonly plaque and tartar buildup. It means that you aren’t taking care of your oral health properly. Ensuring you’re cleaning around the gums properly is a bit harder. We can recommend different techniques and provide a deep cleaning to ensure everything is done properly.
Do I need to treat my discolored teeth?
Sometimes, tooth discoloration isn’t harmful to your oral health. For example, your teeth become more off-white as you age. Usually, they’ll be a yellowish color. However, darker stains — like brown and black — point to a more serious issue. Schedule an appointment regardless if you’re uncomfortable with the color of your smile.
Request A Dental Exam Today
If you want to improve the appearance of your smile with a teeth whitening treatment, contact Fuller Dental by requesting an appointment online today. You can achieve a whiter, brighter, more beautiful smile.