Dental stains and discoloration can be a frustrating reality for anyone who desires a bright, healthy, youthful-looking smile. Dark or yellow staining can occur for a variety of reasons, and understanding the root cause of your tooth discoloration is important for developing an effective smile-whitening treatment plan. The most common causes of teeth staining can include:
- Consumption of certain staining foods and beverages (i.e. coffee, tea, wine, berries, etc.)
- Use of tobacco products
- Certain prescription medications
- Aging
Once tooth discoloration has been established, clinical-grade bleaching systems may be effective for breaking down stains that are present in the tooth enamel. At OC Lifesmiles we offer both in-office Zoom!® Teeth Whitening and professional take-home whitening kits that utilize powerful bleaching ingredients to deliver noticeable improvements in shade; however, not all types of discoloration will respond favorably to these treatments.
Our cosmetic dentist, John Cross, DDS, performs a careful evaluation during the consultation process to determine whether teeth whitening treatments or other approaches, like porcelain veneers, may be better-suited for achieving your goals. When your tooth discoloration is caused by exposed or yellowed tooth dentin, a tooth injury, or certain medications, teeth whitening systems may yield unsatisfactory results. These types of discoloration do not typically respond to bleaching agents, no matter how strong they are. In these cases, Dr. Cross may recommend whitening and brightening the smile with the placement of custom porcelain veneers, which conceal the visible front side of each tooth with natural-looking, high-quality porcelain shells to transform their appearance. Porcelain veneers offer many valuable aesthetic advantages, including stain-resistance, to keep your smile white long into the future.
Do you have questions about how to improve your smile? Contact OC Lifesmiles to schedule a consultation with Dr. Cross to discuss the best options for creating the healthy, beautiful smile you want!
