Are you afraid of smiling because of your stained, discoloured teeth? Fret not. There are now techniques available to remove discolouration of your teeth and change the effect of your smile. If your tooth is mildly discoloured, the stain can be removed by tooth whitening or bleaching, or the discoloured bits can be polished away in a procedure called microabrasion. However, if the stain is deep in the tooth, you can cover it with a bonding, a porcelain veneer, or a crown. Or you may want to remove it, and replace it with a "white" filling.
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There are various causes of tooth staining. Some are more serious than others. Light stains can be caused by taking staining foods such as coffee, tea and substances like cigarettes.
All these may change the colour of your enamel, the outermost layer of your tooth, but light stains can usually be removed by professional cleaning, teeth whitening or microabrasion.
On the other hand, deeper stains which affect the enamel and dentin include natural ageing process, trauma, severe illness, and medications. These stains may require more invasive and expensive methods such as placing a porcelain veneer or crown.
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Tooth whitening |
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This method is generally more effective for mildly discoloured teeth, rather than the seriously discoloured ones. It is relatively safe as no tooth structure is removed. The treatment can be carried out at home, but at the beginning, you need to visit the dentist to make moulds of your mouth. A thin custom-fitted bleaching tray is then made and this is worn over your teeth for a few hours every day for a few days or weeks. The tray contains a mild whitening gel that seeps into the enamel and dentine, the outer and middle layer of your teeth. As the active ingredient in the gel is broken down, oxygen enters the enamel and dentin and bleaches the discoloured substances. After applying the whitening gel for a few days or weeks, your teeth appear "whiter". To ensure you are doing your home treatments correctly, you may want to check with your dentist.
There is usually little discomfort, if any. Some people complain that their teeth have become more sensitive to heat and cold during the whitening process, while others reported discomfort in the gums or throat. But these symptoms are often temporary and disappear after a few days. Teeth whitening only works for those with healthy teeth which have no fillings. It does not work on dentures, crowns, veneers or other types of false teeth.
Teeth whitening can last for several years, provided that you do not smoke, take staining foods or foods containing acid.
These days, there are many whitening toothpastes and bleaching systems that can be bought over-the-counter (OTC). These may be effective for removing light stains, or for maintaining the appearance of the teeth once they have been professionally cleaned.
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| 2) |
Microabrasion |
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This cosmetic dental procedure uses an abrasive and a mild acid to remove the white and brown spots on the enamel - the hard, outermost surface of the tooth. The advantage of this procedure is that it removes a minimal amount of tooth enamel without causing much pain, and at the same time, it improves significantly the way the tooth looks. However, microabrasion does not work so well for stains that are too deep in the enamel or the dentin. In this case, the stains will need to be covered by a bonding, a porcelain veneer, or it has to be removed and replaced with a white filling.
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Bonding |
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This relatively cheap and painless procedure usually requires only one visit to the dentist. During the visit, an enamel-like material is applied to the teeth's surface and sculpted to an ideal shape. After hardening, it is polished. It improves the look of your teeth and smile almost immediately. Besides lightening your teeth colour, it is also used for a whole host of aesthetic problems from closing the gaps between your teeth, making your teeth longer, to fixing chipped edges of your teeth. Its main drawback is that it is not very durable, and it tends to get stained over time, especially if you smoke or take food that stains. For a more long-lasting and stain-resistant effect, you can try porcelain veneers and crowns. However, they are often more expensive.
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Porcelain veneers |
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Porcelain veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are glued onto the outer surface of the front teeth. To make a porcelain veneer, a small amount of tooth structure enamel is removed from the teeth to make room so the teeth will not look thick when the veneers are bonded to the teeth. Porcelain veneers require at least two visits to the dentist, first to prepare the teeth and to take impressions so that a porcelain veneer can be made. The second visit, about a week later is made so that the veneer can be glued to your teeth. The advantage that veneers have over bonding is that they are more durable, and they do not stain easily.
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Crowns |
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This is recommended for those with a damaged tooth. A significant part of the tooth structure has to be removed to place the crown. The advantages of a crown is that it can match closely the look of the surrounding teeth. It is usually long-lasting, does not stain or break easily. However, crowns are often more expensive than the other treatments. So unless your tooth is severely damaged, you may want to consider the other options.
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