How To Fix Discolored Teeth? Treatment Options Giving You Brighter Smile
White teeth enable you to smile with confidence, but age, diet, and poor oral hygiene can cause your teeth to become discolored over time. If you suffer from tooth discoloration, you may be wondering how to fix discolored teeth. At Dentistry on Solent, we have several effective treatments to help give you a white, brighter smile.
Why Do Teeth Become Discolored? Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Stains?
Tooth discoloration has numerous causes, including regularly consuming highly pigmented foods, smoking, taking some medications, and not brushing or flossing regularly.
Two different types of tooth discoloration occur: intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic stains affect the tooth porous enamel layer of your teeth and are typically diet or lifestyle-related.
Intrinsic staining occurs on the tooth’s interior dentin layer and is commonly caused by illness, trauma, or medication. Intrinsic staining is significantly harder to treat than extrinsic tooth discoloration.
How to Fix Discolored Teeth?
There are several treatments used to fix discolored teeth. Conventional teeth whitening treatments are suitable for extrinsic tooth discoloration; however, intrinsic stains may need cosmetic dental treatments to achieve a whiter smile.
Professional Teeth Whitening
For extrinsic stains, the most effective way to brighten your smile is with professional teeth whitening. In-chair teeth whitening uses gel with high concentrations of bleaching agents, like hydrogen or carbamide peroxide, to eliminate staining particles trapped in your enamel. These active ingredients are completely safe and carefully monitored by your dentist.
At Dentistry on Solent, we use several trusted whitening brands, including Philips Zoom, Opalescence, and Pola Office, depending on the level of tooth discoloration.
- Philips Zoom: The dentist applies a 20% hydrogen peroxide gel directly to your teeth, then uses an LED light to activate the ingredients and speed up the whitening process. Philips Zoom teeth whitening formula also contains Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (ACP), which helps to remineralise your enamel, reduce sensitivity, and improve your tooth’s lustre.
- Opalescence: This formula is chemically activated, so there is no need for LED lights. The high viscosity gel sticks to your teeth, ensuring complete saturation, allowing the active ingredients to penetrate quickly into your enamel to disperse stains.
- Pola Office: The Pola Office formula can be used with or without a light. The 35% hydrogen peroxide formula contains potassium nitrate to desensitise teeth during and after the treatment.
Before any teeth whitening treatment, your dentist applies gum retractors and a gingival barrier to prevent your lips and gums from coming into contact with the bleaching gel. Each of the treatments can be performed up to three times to achieve your desired tooth color. The total treatment time lasts less than an hour, and you’ll leave the practice with teeth up to eight shades whiter.
At-Home Teeth Whitening Kits
If you aren’t in a rush to have your teeth whitened, you can brighten your smile from the comfort of your own home. Our at-home teeth whitening kits come with bespoke whitening trays crafted at our dental practice. We also supply you with carefully measured doses of bleaching gel.
Simply inject the bleaching solution into the tray’s cavities and place it over your teeth before bed. When you wake up in the morning, remove the tray and brush your teeth as usual. Within 14 days, you’ll see noticeable results.
At-home kits are a cost-effective teeth whitening solution and a great way to keep your teeth looking brighter between dental visits.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers may be the best option for tooth discoloration due to intrinsic staining or severe enamel deterioration. Veneers are a wafer-thin ceramic shell applied to the front of your affected tooth. The veneer is color-matched to your natural tooth shade, so it blends in with your smile, and the porcelain’s translucent lustre gives it a realistic appearance.
At Dentistry on Solent, we offer high-quality porcelain veneers. During the veneer procedure, your dentist shaves a thin layer of enamel from the tooth and takes precise digital images of your tooth using a Trios intraoral scanner. The data is sent to an off-site laboratory where your veneers are crafted; this usually takes around two weeks. You will be fitted for temporary veneers while you wait.
When the veneers are ready, you’ll come in for your second appointment, and the permanent veneer will be cemented into place.
Dental Crowns
If your teeth are discolored due to severe decay or stained and have serious structural damage such as chips, a dental crown can help disguise these dental flaws.
A crown is a tooth-colored cap that fits over your entire tooth. At your dental crown appointment, your dentist must file and shape the tooth to accommodate the crown before using a digital scanner to send information about your teeth to the lab where your custom crown will be created. Contact us today for same-day dental crown in Bella Vista.
Learn More About How to Fix Discolored Teeth With the Team at Dentistry on Solent
Schedule an appointment with our experienced dentist Bella Vista if you want to know how to fix discolored teeth. We will happily explain our teeth whitening treatments in more detail so that you can make the best choice for your oral health. Call (02) 9158 6137 or use the convenient online booking form.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
