Stained Teeth That Whitening Won't Fix: What Are the Options?

What kind of stain do I have?

Dentists sort stains into two groups. Extrinsic stains sit on the enamel surface and come from things like coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco and plaque. Intrinsic discoloration starts inside the tooth: with age as enamel thins and the darker dentin shows through, after an injury, from medications such as tetracycline taken while teeth were forming, or from too much fluoride in childhood.

Why didn't whitening work for me?

There are three common reasons:

• The stain is intrinsic. Brown teeth may not respond as well as yellow ones, and teeth with gray tones may not bleach at all.
• The visible tooth is a restoration. Whitening will not change the color of caps, veneers, crowns or fillings, so they can look darker next to newly whitened teeth.
• One tooth is darker than the rest. That can point to a problem inside that tooth and should be examined first.

What can change the color when whitening can't?

Bonding covers a small area with tooth-colored resin in one visit, but it stains more easily than porcelain. Porcelain veneers cover the front of the teeth and resist staining well; placing them means removing a thin layer of enamel. A crown covers the whole tooth and suits a stained tooth that is also weak or heavily filled.

If you plan to whiten and replace old fillings or crowns, whitening usually comes first, so new restorations can be matched to the lighter shade.

What does our office offer?

At our Deerfield Beach office we offer in-office professional teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding, porcelain veneers, Lumineers and porcelain crowns. A short exam shows which stains will respond to whitening before you spend time on it. Sensitivity after whitening is common and usually temporary.