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Advanced cosmetic and general dentistry

5 Facts About Tetracycline-Stained Teeth that You Shouldn’t Ignore

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Many people are tempted to self-treat severe tetracycline staining by whitening their teeth or asking their family dentist for porcelain veneers. But this aesthetic issue requires much more skill than most dentists have.

1. What Causes Tetracycline Stains on Teeth?

If you took the antibiotic tetracycline as a child while your permanent teeth were still forming, the antibiotic might be discolored. Most likely, your teeth are grayish brown, and in severe cases, they are very dark.

2. Does Teeth Whitening Help Tetracycline Stains?

The KöR whitening system is so powerful that it can lighten tetracycline stains. Other teeth whitening systems are ineffective for these stains. Although KöR might not completely resolve the issue, it’s less expensive than porcelain veneers and can improve your smile. Keep in mind that your cosmetic dentist might not use KöR as treatment, or it might not be an option for your case.

3. Will Porcelain Veneers Help?

Although some dentists try to cover tetracycline stains with porcelain veneers, the results often don’t look good on your smile. There are several reasons:

  • Porcelain needs to be translucent to look natural – But translucency allows the dark stains to show through your veneers.
  • Opaque porcelain veneers don’t look natural either – If a dentist chooses to reduce the translucency in your veneers to conceal tetracycline stains, your teeth will look chalky or pasty.
  • Full coverage is needed – Often, dentists who lack experience in concealing tetracycline stains cover the fronts of the teeth—not the sides. This technique leaves dark shadows on the edges of your teeth.

The above scenarios attract attention to your smile for the wrong reasons. And that’s what you’re already trying to avoid. But in the hands of a skilled dentist, porcelain veneers can transform your smile.

4. Your Choice of Dentist Matters

Photo of dental forceps holding a single porcelain veneers, from the office of accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Szarek of Lowell, MA.

Only advanced cosmetic dentists can conceal tetracycline stains with veneers

Porcelain veneers can conceal tetracycline stains. But it requires the skill of an accomplished cosmetic dentist who understands how to block dark discoloration in your teeth while maintaining translucency in your porcelain veneers. It’s an art that most dentists lack. Aesthetic-driven laboratories craft opalescent porcelains that advanced dentists use to help you smile with confidence.

5. Consult with an Advanced Cosmetic Dentist

We recommend that you search for an accredited cosmetic dentist. Avoid asking your family dentist to try to resolve this issue for you. Most family dentists will taper your teeth and place porcelain crowns over them. Still, if the stains are very dark, crowns won’t completely conceal the discoloration. An accredited cosmetic dentist will preserve most of your natural tooth structure by treating the tetracycline stains with veneers or KöR whitening if appropriate.

During your consultation and exam, ask the accredited cosmetic dentist a few questions:

  • What treatment will you use to conceal the tetracycline stains in my teeth?
  • What results can I expect?
  • How many cases like mine have you completed?
  • May I see before-and-after photos of tetracycline cases you’ve treated with porcelain veneers or KöR whitening?

Lowell, MA accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Szarek, DMD sponsors this post.

An 8-Step Guide to Whitening Your Teeth Before You Get Dental Crowns

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Are you trying to determine the best way to whiten your teeth before getting dental crowns? Several keys will ensure your crowns match your newly brightened smile.

1. How Much Is Enough?

Although there is no specific limit on how long to whiten your teeth, the longer you use the bleaching gel, the whiter your teeth will get. Keep in mind that sensitivity can become an issue. And the pace of whitening will decrease over time.

2. Questions to Ask Yourself Before Teeth Whitening

  • How satisfied am I with the color of my teeth?
  • How much have I bleached them in the past?
  • Has the bleaching gel I’m using made a difference?

3. How Much Time Should You Whiten Each Day?

In general, you should keep the bleaching trays on your teeth for a minimum of 20-30 minutes. But it can stay on longer. The length of your daily whitening time depends on whether the bleaching gel is causing a lot of sensitivity in your teeth.

4. What Time of Day Is Best?

Photo of a woman's mouch with custom teeth whitening trays being placed on her teeth; from Lowell MA accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Szarek, DMD.

Custom teeth-whitening trays seal bleaching gel against your teeth

You can whiten your teeth during the day or at night. One advantage of nighttime use is that while you’re sleeping your, saliva flow decreases. The bleaching gel will stay in the trays longer. Although daytime use is effective, increased saliva flow can water down the gel. Custom bleaching trays fit snugly and keep saliva out, but if you don’t have them, the bleaching gel will get diluted. You will need to rinse the trays and replenish the gel.

5. What If You Overdo It?

Your teeth will let you know if you’ve whitened them too much. They will become sensitive to heat and cold. But you can manage the sensitivity in one or more of the following ways:

  • Take ibuprofen daily
  • Ask your dentist for fluoride gel
  • Use Sensodyne toothpaste, which is for sensitive teeth.

6. When to Stop Whitening Your Teeth Before Receiving New Dental Crowns

After you’ve completed the whitening sessions, oxygen bubbles from the peroxide gel will continue to disperse and whiten your teeth. It takes about two weeks for the color to stabilize. If you’re receiving crowns on your front teeth, wait the full two weeks before visiting your dentist to match them to your natural teeth.

7. Before You Receive Your Crowns

It’s best to find a skilled cosmetic dentist who will guide you through the whitening process and provide lifelike dental crowns that perfectly match your natural teeth. A dependable cosmetic dentist will never be satisfied with taking a chance on matching the crowns with your whither teeth. Ask yourself, “Is this the right dentist to give me a new smile?”

Although you might think crowns are the best solution for the issues with your teeth, an experienced cosmetic dentist will explain your options. Look for a nearby accredited cosmetic dentist. Accredited cosmetic dentists have demonstrated their skill by completing rigorous exams and submitting successful patient cases to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

8. After You Receive Your Crowns

Over time, your teeth will pick up stains from coffee, tea, wine, smoking, and certain fruits. Every six months, you can whiten your teeth for a few days to restore their brightness. Be careful not to overdo it because they will no longer match your dental crowns.

This post is sponsored by accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Szarek, DMD of Lowell, MA.

3 Causes of Yellow Dental Crowns and Why Teeth Whitening Won’t Help

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Teeth whitening can rejuvenate your smile and help it look younger. Some people try to whiten their dental restorations, such as dental crowns or veneers. Have your crowns started to yellow? Consider some possible causes and why teeth whitening won’t help.

Damage During a Dental Cleaning

Power instruments: When you receive a dental cleaning, power instruments are used to blast away stains on your teeth. But these same instruments can damage dental restorations, including crowns. One example is the Prophy Jet. It uses sodium bicarbonate to clean and whiten natural teeth. But this powerful treatment removes the glaze on your dental crowns and leaves them unprotected from stains. The crowns can turn yellow but treating them with teeth whitening won’t help.

Acidulated phosphate fluoride: This fluoride treatment is applied to teeth to prevent cavities. But if the chemical is in contact with your dental crowns, it will etch away the glaze on them and cause your crowns to stain. And a tooth whitening kit won’t improve the color.

Damage When You First Received Them

If your dentist adjusts the front surface of your crowns, special care is needed to avoid damaging the glaze. It’s also possible that the laboratory that made the restoration didn’t properly glaze them. In either case, your crowns will darken over time, and bleaching gel won’t improve the color.

Material Used to Make the Crowns

Sometimes people think they are receiving porcelain or ceramic crowns, but later learn the crowns are made of dental composite. Dental composite doesn’t resist stains.

Why Won’t Teeth Whitening Help?

Whitening treatment only works on natural teeth. Bleaching gel penetrates through tooth enamel and breaks down stains in the layer beneath it, or dentin. But the gel won’t penetrate porcelain or ceramic. Dental crowns are colorfast.

Before and after teeth whitening photos

Teeth whitening works on natural teeth only

If your dental crowns are discolored, visit an accredited cosmetic dentist for an examination. He or she will explain the cause of discoloration and explain your options for regaining a bright smile.

This post is Michael Szarek, DMD a Lowell, MA accredited cosmetic dentist.

4 Ways to Rescue Your Teeth from Over-Bleaching

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When you look in the mirror and see how dramatically teeth whitening treatments have brightened your smile, the results can be exhilarating. For some people, the thrill of seeing their teeth get amazingly white becomes habit forming.

Photo of teeth whitening trays in a case, for information on DIY teeth whitening from Lowell, MA dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.

Teeth whitening should be carefully monitored

If you received teeth whitening from your dentist, you were probably advised to use it for about two weeks and to wait before starting another session to allow the color to stabilize. But what if you continue bleaching your teeth for weeks, even months? Or what if you are whitening your teeth over and over again without a dentist’s supervision? Although you may not notice how much whiter your teeth are getting, they can become sensitive and brittle.

What Can You Do to Protect Your Teeth?

  1. Take a break. Stop whitening your teeth and give them time to recover. After you stop whitening treatment, the shade of your teeth will continue to brighten over the next few days. Give your teeth and gums time to recover. Irritated nerves can become less sensitive if they are not in contact with the bleaching gel. And irritated gum tissue can heal.
  2. Switch your toothpaste. Daily use toothpaste for sensitive teeth. It penetrates the tiny holes in your teeth and blocks the nerves to decrease sensitivity.
  3. Tell your dentist. You might be embarrassed to tell your dentist about your teeth whitening habit. But your dentist can examine your teeth and let you know if there is any external or internal damage to your teeth. He or she can provide treatment to protect your teeth from further damage. Prescription fluoride treatment or toothpaste might be recommended to strengthen your teeth.
  4. You should avoid whitening your teeth without your dentist’s approval. It’s possible to resume teeth whitening too soon. Just because your teeth feel better doesn’t mean it’s safe to use bleaching gel on them. Your dentist will let you know when, how, and how frequently you should use the gel.

 

Accredited cosmetic dentist Michael Szarek, DMD of Lowell, MA sponsors this blog.

7 Facts about Using Teeth Whitening Gel in Invisalign Trays

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If you have invisible braces and want to whiten your teeth during orthodontic treatment, can you use the aligners? Are they strong enough to hold carbamide peroxide bleaching gel?

Some dentists and orthodontists recommend using the aligners as whitening trays, but others don’t. Below are some facts to consider before you begin whitening sessions using trays of any brand*, including:

  • Invisalign
  • ClearCorrect
  • Smile Direct Club
  • SmileLove
  • SnapCorrect

Teeth Whitening Gel Won’t Harm Most Invisible Braces

Carbamide peroxide won’t harm most invisible aligners or trays, but there are some things to keep in mind.

  • Photo of teeth whitening trays in a case, for information on DIY teeth whitening from Lowell, MA dentist Dr. Michael Szarek.
    Teeth whitening trays and orthodontic trays fit differently
  • Orthodontic trays have a tighter fit – Invisalign trays fit more securely than trays that are normally used for whitening your teeth. Some people report that the snug fit causes bleaching gel to ooze out. This can result in wasted gel that irritates your gum tissue.
  • Don’t leave the bleaching gel in too long – Although you wear Invisalign for 22 hours each day, the bleaching gel should not remain in the trays for that long. All-day bleaching will cause significant sensitivity in your teeth and burn your gums. Also adhere to the designated length of time to wear the gel-filled trays.
  • Listen to your dentist – Each patient’s case is different. Follow your dentist’s or orthodontist’s instructions on whether or not you should use the invisible trays to whiten your teeth.
  • Whitening might be affected by attachments on your teeth – Sometimes attachments are bonded to your teeth to increase the contact of the aligners with your teeth. Some people report that in the areas beneath the attachments, the bleaching gel was not as effective, and additional whitening sessions were required after the attachments were removed. Others say that their teeth still whitened evenly with the attachments. So keep in mind that results can vary.

Rinse Well

If your dentist approves using your orthodontic trays for teeth whitening, there are several things to keep in mind.

  • Teeth whitening gel continues to work until it’s rinsed off.
  • Thoroughly rinse your teeth and aligners to ensure they are free of the gel. This will prevent over-whitening your teeth and causing sensitivity.
  • Remember that each sent of aligners is worn for two weeks, so ensure they are clean after every whitening session.

Consult with Your Dentist

Although aligners for invisible braces can be used for teeth whitening, you should consult with your dentist to determine if it’s right for you. If any restorative work is to be done on your teeth—or if there are already dental restorations on them—you likely want your brightened teeth to match them. Your dentist will determine the best time to start whitening your teeth.

Whether you received invisible braces like Invisalign or ClearCorrect from your dentist, or if you took the risk of ordering them online from Smile Direct Club, SmileLove, or SnapCorrect*, speak with your dentist about your desire to whiten your teeth. He or she will let you know if bleaching gel will help the stains or make them look worse. Your dentist might recommend that you wait until orthodontic treatment is complete before whitening your teeth.

This post is sponsored by accredited cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Szarek in Lowell, MA.

*Dr. Szarek does not recommend seeking online orthodontic treatment. There are multiple benefits of in-person treatment and customized care from a dentist.