Not all cases of dental staining and discoloration are created equal. Our Santa Monica cosmetic dentists cater the type of tooth lightening treatment that we use to address the root cause of the patient’s dental discoloration. Today we’re going to be walking you through some scenarios regarding dental staining and treatment—let’s get started!
Let’s say that you have noticed that your smile is starting to look dark and stained. We perform a dental assessment and conclude that your teeth look generally healthy and strong; your dental discoloration is due to environmental staining. In this case, you will likely achieve successful whitening results by undergoing professional dental whitening treatments. During these treatments our dental team applies a whitening gel to your enamel, so that the gel can lift surface stains and help restore your smile to its previous level of whiteness.
It is also possible for teeth to become dark looking because the patient’s dental enamel has thinned. When enamel thins, it allows more of the patient’s dark dentin to show through to the surface of the tooth. Professional whitening treatments may give you the results you want, but you may achieve better results by covering your enamel with white and bright dental bonding or porcelain veneers/LUMINEERS. Our team will help you determine which option is right for your situation.
Dental damage or trauma can also lead teeth to look dark grey or brown. In these cases you will likely need to pursue dental bonding or veneers/LUMINEERS; the tooth looks discolored because the very core of the tooth is damaged/dying, so topical whitening treatments are not effective. The good news is that both bonding and porcelain restorations are completely customizable, so you can regain a bright and natural looking smile.
Want more information or to schedule a consultation with our Santa Monica cosmetic dentists? Call our office to speak to a member of our helpful team.