Dealing With Dental Discoloration
November 7, 2018
One of the main causes of someone’s insecurity about their smile’s appearance is dental discoloration. Dental discoloration can include an overall yellow or dull appearance, teeth with mismatched shades, or uneven coloring. Discoloration of teeth can be caused by outside forces, like coffee or cigarettes, or it can be caused by an internal source, such as tooth trauma. Understanding the source of the tooth stain can help you to better deal with it and get you on the right track to a brighter smile. The team at Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO can help you to get a whiter smile.
Preventing Stains
One way to deal with external stains is to prevent them from occurring in the first place. One of the most important ways to do so is also a very important thing to your oral health: routine dental cleanings. A professional cleaning can remove the buildup from the outside of your teeth that can cause stains and tooth decay. If you are drinking or eating foods that can stain your teeth, be sure to rinse with water and keep your teeth clean.
Removing Extrinsic Stains
A teeth-whitening treatment can help you to remove the buildup of stains on your teeth. Going to your dentist for teeth-whitening can get you whiter teeth, while monitoring possible issues like tooth sensitivity. Some external stains (also known as extrinsic stains) are just created over time with aging, but a whitening treatment should be able to remove them.
Covering Intrinsic Discoloration
Stains that come from inside the tooth beneath the enamel (also known as intrinsic discoloration) cannot be removed with a whitening treatment. The enamel of your teeth is translucent, which allows for discoloration beneath the surface to be seen. To do with this kind of discoloration of one tooth or the entire smile requires other forms of cosmetic dentistry such as cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneers to cover up the front of the teeth.
Do You Want to Update the Color of Your Teeth?
There are different types of dental discoloration that must be addressed differently. To schedule a consultation, call Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry of Kansas City, MO, today at 816-427-4018.