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Duluth, GA 30097

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Covering Tetracycline Stains if You Can’t Afford Porcelain Veneers

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I have had very discolored teeth since my childhood. They said it was because of some medication I took as a child. When I was in high school my parents spent practically everything they had to get me dental bonding. Now that I am older the bonding is completely worn out. I know the better solution is porcelain veneers, but I cannot afford that. Dental bonding is not much less. Is there any chance there are newer procedures that have improved which could help me get a prettier smile without porcelain veneersj?

Mandy

Dear Mandy,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

 

The medication you took as a child was likely tetracycline. If taken while your teeth are still forming, then it can cause brown stains on your teeth. If you cannot afford porcelain veneers to this and you have existing bonding you have options, but it depends on how the dental bonding was done.

If the dental bonding was placed over intact enamel, then there are sandpaper disks that can be used to remove the outdated bonding. It’s not too hard to do if they have training. In fact, some states will allow a dental hygienist to do it. If your state allows that, the fee should be a bit lower, which could save you more money.

Once the old bonding is removed, have your dentist make for you some custom-fitted teeth whitening trays like the ones pictured above. Then you will simply use some professional strength teeth whitening gel in the trays. You will have to be persistent and it will take a while, but you can get your teeth signficantly whiter. They won’t be as beautiful as they would with well done porcelain veneers, but you will no longer be embarrassed by your teeth.

Be aware you will want to stick with the tray and gel approach. Don’t let your dentist talk you into something like Zoom Whitening or Laser teeth whitening. While these are stronger, you would require so many treatments that it would quickly get too expensive. Just perservere with the gel and you will get results.

If, however, the dentist removed some of your tooth enamel before placing the dental bonding, then there is no other solution except for porcelain veneers. In that case, I would just wait and save up to have the porcelain veneers done. Don’t try to save money by using just a basic family dentist. Save up to do it right. Make sure the dentist has post-doctoral porcelain veneers training. I’d also check their smile gallery to make sure they can produce artistic results. Tetracycline cases are one of the most advanced cosmetic cases a dentist can do so you want to make sure they have th chops to do it.

This blog is brought to you by Decatur, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

My New Dental Crowns are Turning Yellow

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I had very white teeth and was ready to take the next step in improving my smile by getting a smile makeover. I spoke to my dentists and he suggested six porcelain crowns on my upper front teeth. I selected the whitest color available to me. Yet, when the crowns were put in, they did not seem to be the whiteness I had intended for them. Now, to top it all off, the dental crowns are starting to turn yellow. I haven’t even had these a year yet. Can I whiten them along with my teeth? How do I keep them from turning yellow again?

Melody

Dear Melody,

Extended shade guide

First, I want to make sure your dentist is using the updated shade guide. Before teeth whitening, the whitest shade was B1. Now, with the popularity of teeth whitening, the shade guides have been updated and BL1 is now the whitest. That may be the issue with the color discrepancy.

That doesn’t, however, explain the new staining. If your crowns are truly porcelain crowns they should be very stain resistant as long as the glaze on the porcelain is intact. This leaves me to wonder if something happened during one of your dental appointments to damage the crowns. Two possibilities are if the hygienist used an acidulated fluoride or a power prophy jet.

With the acidulated fluoride, it will etch the surface of the crowns, leaving the crowns very susceptible to staining. The power prophy jet can remove the glazing, causing staining take place even faster. Unfortanately, teeth whitening only works on natural teeth, so that would not be a good solution for you. The first step is to find out if the glazing has been damaged. I recommend seeing a good cosmetic dentist who can examine your crowns and ask them to give you an idea of why these are picking up stains.

One other quick question. I’m curious as to why your dentist chose crowns for this smile makeover. The standard for that type of procedure is porcelain veneers because it removes much less tooth structure. Was there damage to these teeth that required crowns?

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Teeth Whitening and Brown Spots

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I have had brown spots on my front teeth ever since my adult teeth came in. I have good hygiene. I’ve been told the spots are from a fever I had as a child. Under the supervision of my dentist we have tried every single over the counter whitening product available. Unfortunately, all it does is make the area around the brown spots whiter which makes the spots look even darker. My dentist is suggesting that she grind off the brown spots now. I’m a little worried about this plan. First, I’m sure it will hurt. Second, she is not certain how much of the tooth she will have to remove. Do you think if we tried professional strength whitening, we’d have any more success? She doesn’t offer teeth whitening but would be willing to refer me. I think I’d rather try that first than the grinding thing.

Maria

Dear Maria,

before and after a dental bonding repair

While I am sure your dentist has the best of intentions and is trying to help you, she is out of her depth here. Please don’t let her expirement on your teeth any longer. Teeth whitening, even professional teeth whitening will not work in a situation such as yours. As you discovered with the over-the-counter whitening products. The bleaching ingredients only work on natural tooth structure. That is why you ended up with those mixed results.

The solution to this is some gentle microabrasion on the brown spots and then to cover the area with dental bonding. This is a composite resin that is shaped and bonded to your teeth. Unfortunately, your current dentist will not be able to do this. Teeth whitening is the most basic (simple) of the cosmetic procedures. On the other hand, dental bonding is an advanced cosmetic procedure that requires a significant amount of training.

In your place, I would look for someone with post-doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. Be sure and ask to see before and after images of dental bonding cases they have personally done to ensure that they can make the results look blended and natural.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Will Oil Pulling Whiten My Teeth?

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I am curious about what your thoughts are on oil pulling. I’ve read that this can whiten your teeth naturally. I’m very big on doing everything I can naturally to help my body, for instance, I watch what I eat and exercise. In fact, it was my yoga instructor who suggested I try oil pulling when I told her I was disappointed in my smile. It needs some brightening and has started to show its age. Will it work? And more importantly, will it do any harm?

Sadie

Dear Sadie,

Teeth Whitening trays

It’s great to hear about people who are anxious to take care of both their bodies and their teeth. Great job! For those who have not heard about this before, bear with me as I briefly describe oil pulling. This is part of the Ayurvedic practice in India and is used as a natural remedy. Using something like sesame or coconut oil, they swish the oil around in their mouth for about 15 minutes then spit it out. The thought process is that the oil will absorb toxins and keep the mouth healthy.

Will It Whiten Your Teeth?

It’s unlikely. It could lift some surface stains, but so will brushing regularly. If you are looking to get rid of stains that have gone beyond the surface of your teeth, the only way to do that is through a teeth whitening procedure that uses a special type of gel containing either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These will sink deep into the teeth opening up the tubules and allowing the peroxide to oxidize all those years of accumulated stains. Nothing else will do the same thing.

Will it Do Any Harm?

On balance, no. There are some precautions to take. Make sure your oils are not expired or caustic. Never swallow the oil. Other than that, you just don’t want to ignore your regular oral health care such as brushing, flossing, and check ups with your dentist. Oil pulling does not replace those.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Lemons and Teeth Whitening

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Is it possible for me to whiten my teeth at home with lemons? I read about it on a natural health website, but wanted to verify before I wasted a bunch of lemons or, even worse, damaged my teeth. I have not had much success with the over the counter whitening kits and I really want white teeth but my dentist only does Zoom, which is out of my budget.

Megan

Dear Megan,

Lemons

I am so glad you wrote. It was very wise on your part to verify something you read on the internet. While lemons could temporarily make your teeth look a bit whiter, eventually they will actually end up looking darker. This is because lemons have citrus acid. When that acid gets onto your tooth enamel it will micro etch the surface of your teeth. Those etches will cause your teeth to pick up stains much faster. With continued use, you could weaken the enamel of your teeth. You will find that people who suck on lemons have the same problem.

This is the same issue that happens to patients who are suffering from bulimia. The acidic nature of vomiting means that their teeth are slowly wearing away because of all the acid.

If you are determined to use an over the counter whitening kit, Crest Whitestrips do work, but you have to buy a LOT of kits to get the same amount of teeth whitening you could with a dentist.

If you want professional strength teeth whitening but do not want Zoom, you could go to another dentist just to get your teeth whitening kit and get started then return to your dentist for your regular dental care. Be aware that most dentists will make you get a cleaning done before they will whiten your teeth. This is to ensure there are no problems with your teeth. It’s also to make sure there is no plaque that can lead to splotchy results. You can just tell them that you are happy with your dentist for your regular care, but do want to whiten your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Did Teeth Whitening Hurt My Baby?

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I have a plan to work on my teeth, but it required some saving up before I could start. Here was my initial plan:
1. Teeth whitening
2. Change my silver fillings for the mercury-free kind
3. Possibly porcelain veneers on my front four teeth

I had just gotten the teeth whitening done a few weeks ago when I realized something was off with my cycle. I ran a test and learned I am pregnant. I looked it up and everything says NOT to whiten when you are pregnant. Now I am panicked that I did something which hurt my baby. Is there anything I can do?

Melanie T.

Dear Melanie,

Pregnant woman at dentist before treatment

First things first– Congratulations on becoming a mother!! This is such an exciting time in your life. I can already tell you are going to be a good mother based on your panic. That seems to be a common feeling in the best of mothers.

While it is true that it is recommended not to do any teeth whitening while pregnant, that is because there have not been any significant studies on the effects of teeth whitening on the unborn. As you can imagine, there is not a huge number of new mothers eager to allow the medical community to use their unborn children as test subjects. That being said, though there is no data either way, it is highly unlikely your procedure did any damage. I would take a deep breath and just move on from here.

I recommend you schedule your dental checkup to happen during your second trimester. This is the time the mother is most comfortable and the early danger time of pregnancy of the first trimester has passed.

As for your other plans. I would wait on switching out your amalgam fillings. While it is a good idea, the silver is made mostly of mercury—a known toxin. While there is a sanitary amalgam removal procedure that is designed to eliminate the danger of mercury inhalation, I would not want to risk even a little bit getting to your child. Once your child is born and weaned (if you’re breastfeeding), then you can move forward with the rest of your plans. Make sure you use a mercury-free dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Porcelain Veneers and Teeth Whitening

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I need to whiten my teeth. Well…I want to whiten my teeth. What worries me is that I have porcelain veneers on only four of my teeth. It’s the teeth next to the porcelain veneers that need the whitening. My smile is about eight teeth wide. I wish I had the money to do more veneers so they’d all match but I didn’t. I want to whiten the teeth to match but I’m worried that the whitening gel will hurt the porcelain veneers. Will I damage them if I use something weak like Crest Whitestrips?

Corinne

Dear Corinne,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I am glad you wrote. I wish your dentist would have whitened your teeth before doing your porcelain veneers. That is pretty standard operating procedure when a person can’t get enough veneers to cover the width of their smile. The good news is, while it won’t be as easy, it is still possible to get them whitened.

Crest Whitestrips will not do any damage to your porcelain veneers. In fact, neither will professional strength teeth whitening. If you decide to use the Whitestrips, you need to be aware of some limitations. First, they’re not very big. In fact, they’ll only cover your first six teeth. With four of them being veneered, that would mean you are wasting a significant amount of whitening. With them being only a fraction of the strength of professional whitening, I don’t think you’d be truly satisfied with them.

My suggestion would be to have your dentist make you custom fitted trays that can be shaped around your porcelain veneers. This will enable you to whiten those teeth at full strength, while under the care of a professional. Plus, you can keep the trays and use them for touch-ups every couple of years. Then, you’ll only need the inexpensive gel.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dr. David Marion.

Pain with Teeth Whitening

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I’ve been whitening my teeth for several weeks with a home whitening kit. The last few days, though, I’ve started having a zing of pain that lasts for several seconds and then stops. It is always on the tooth where I had a dental bonding repair quite a few years ago. Could the teeth whitening be eating away at the dental bonding?

Nadia

Dear Nadia,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I am sorry for the pain you are experiencing. The good news is I do not think teeth whitening is damaging the dental bonding. There has never been any evidence that whitening gel does any damage to bonding agents and it both have been around for a while, as well as used together. The more likely scenario is that a part of your dental bonding has come off leaving part of the tooth exposed and sensitive.

I am assuming that you are doing this home teeth whitening under the supervision of your dentist. My recommendation is you pause the whitening for a few days, call your dentist and let him know what is going on. He can track down where the exposure is and place a protective agent there to re-cover the spot. Then you can continue with your teeth whitening as you normally would, but this time pain free.

You should be aware that dental bonding doesn’t last as long as something like porcelain veneers. For something like a small chip repair, that is fine. Just know that you will need to replace it at some point or it will begin to pick up stains. When it does, teeth whitening won’t fix it. The whitening agents only work on natural tooth structure. The bonding will just have to be replaced.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Can You Over Whiten Teeth

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My dentist told me that I’ve whitened my teeth so much that it has become impossible to match my teeth to dental work. I need a dental crown on a lateral incisor and he said my teeth are too white to get a good match. Shouldn’t he have warned me about that? He’s the one doing all the whitening.

Melissa

Dear Melissa,

Old Vita Shade Guide

Based on what you have said, my guess is that teeth whitening is the only type of cosmetic dentistry that your dentist actually does. Here is why I think that. When dentists match a tooth to a color for dental work they use a shade guide. For years, there was only one type of shade guide (pictured above).

Then, in the 1990s, teeth whitening became massively popular. One thing people don’t realize about teeth whitening is that not only does it remove stains, but they can also make the teeth whiter than their most natural white color. As teeth whitening gained in popularity, dentists began noticing that patients’ teeth were whiter than the whitest shade on the shade guide.

Updated shade guide

Updated Shade Guide

Fortunately, as this happened more often, the shade guides caught up. They added an extension that matched the new whiter shades of people’s teeth. Dentists who do a lot of cosmetic work, have the updated shade guide (pictured directly above).

While I am aware that you can just tell your dentist about this updated shade guide and get your crown matched that way, I do not think that will be your best option. This tooth will be very visible when you smile. You will want a dentist with cosmetic skills to match this tooth exactly. It requires more than just the initial shade match. Your dentist will have to give the ceramist instructions that add tints and stains around the tooth to help it mimic the variations in a natural tooth. If he doesn’t even have the correct shade guide, then he will not be able to create a good shade map for the ceramist. You will be better off having your dental crown done by a dentist who does a lot more cosmetic work.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.

Luster Premium Teeth Whitening

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I received an advertisement for Luster Premium Home Whitening. It’s a little cheaper than what my dentist’s office quoted when I called them so I am wondering if it actually works and if it is safe.

Emma

Dear Emma,

teeth bleaching trays

Teeth Bleaching Trays

I periodically review these type of things at patients’ requests. While they all have downsides in comparison to professional teeth whitening, most of them have a valid whitening ingredient. In the case of Luster Premium, that is not true. There is not a valid whitening ingredient in this product. The only whitening that takes place with this is due to a pigment in their “super whitener” — zinc oxide. This sticks to the teeth and makes the teeth look temporarily whiter. It does not actually whiten them. The pigment wears off. I am convinced that the positive reviews they have are from people who saw the whitening difference from the pigment and wrote the review not realizing it would quickly wear off.

If cost is the only thing keeping you from getting teeth whitening done by your dentist, you could put some money aside every few weeks or possibly talk to your dentist to see if he or she is open to allowing you to have a payment plan with them. If they say no and you are anxious to do it right away, an over the counter product that works is Crest Whitestrips. It is much weaker than the type of whitening you would get with your dentist but it will work. Another issue is it will only cover the front six teeth. Most smiles are at least eight to ten teeth wide. If that is you, you can use extra strips.

Honestly though, by the time you purchase enough kits to get your teeth really white, you would have spent less money if you would have just saved up and had it done right with your dentist. Plus, you can keep the whitening trays and, in future years, when you need a touch up you will just need to purchase the gel which isn’t nearly as much money.

This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.