When teeth stains mar your smile’s appearance, the cosmetic treatment of choice is often professional teeth-whitening. However, for certain types of stains, as well as other kinds of tooth blemishes, teeth-whitening may not work to brighten your smile. The good news is that you don’t have to wait for teeth-whitening fail before choosing another treatment. Instead, your dentist will first perform a comprehensive examination to determine the nature of your teeth stains, and whether or not professional teeth-whitening is the best option.
What Teeth-Whitening Does
Professional teeth whitening involves a safe but highly potent chemical application that carefully breaks up and removes stains from the surfaces of your teeth. For most common teeth stains, the procedure is a convenient and successful way to touch-up your smile. Yet, some stains develop underneath your teeth’s semi-translucent surfaces, and therefore, chemical teeth-whitening may not suffice to erase them. For more stubborn, internal tooth discoloration, your dentist can recommend a more effective solution, such as tooth bonding or porcelain veneers.
More Effective Alternatives
Internal, or intrinsic, tooth discoloration can result from a number of issues, such as internal tooth damage, a developing cavity, or certain types of medication. When one or two teeth experience stubborn discoloration, your dentist may be able to improve their appearances with tooth bonding. If you have several teeth that are discolored, then porcelain veneers may be a better option, as they can address more teeth than bonding with minimal alterations to your tooth structure.
Ask About Alternatives to Teeth-Whitening
Teeth whitening is a common and highly effective cosmetic treatment, but when your smile needs more than whitening treatment, we can help you improve your smile with a more involved cosmetic treatment.