Tooth staining and discolouration occur naturally as you age. When the outer layer of your teeth, called enamel, thins, your smile can take on a yellow hue. Dietary habits also play a role in staining your teeth; certain foods and drinks rich in tannins promote stains because they enable chromogens (pigments like tomato sauce) to stick to your tooth enamel.
Consuming highly pigmented foods and drinks like coffee, red wine, red grapes, and many other fruits in excess can contribute to unsightly stains on your teeth.
Luckily, there are plenty of cosmetic solutions in modern dentistry to restore your bright smile. Ask your dentist about how to get rid of stains on teeth to learn about options like tooth whitening and dental veneers.
How to Get Rid of Stains on Teeth: Cosmetic Solutions
At Sydney Dental Group in Baulkham Hills, we offer a range of cosmetic dentistry services to help you get your pearly whites back so you can smile with confidence.
The best method for you depends on which teeth are stained or discoloured and whether you are looking for a semi-permanent or temporary treatment. Talk to your dentist about how to get rid of stains on teeth to understand your options.
-
Teeth Whitening
At the Sydney Dental Group, we offer Philips Zoom Whitening Treatment, an in-chair whitening service with fast, effective results.
The dentist starts by covering your lips and gums to protect them from the whitening gel. Then, they cover your teeth in a light-activated hydrogen peroxide-based gel. A blue UV light activates the gel, so it penetrates the enamel to break down stains in just 15 minutes.
After three rounds of the whitening treatment, the dentist applies fluoride gel to your teeth to lessen tooth sensitivity.
We also offer customisable at-home Philips Zoom teeth whitening kits. Since the bleach concentration in the gel is lower than the in-chair whitening treatment, it may take up to 14 days before the results are noticeable.
Teeth whitening can improve the colour of yellow teeth, but grey and brown teeth can be more challenging to whiten.
Teeth whitening treatments are a temporary solution, so you will likely need to receive professional whitening again after one year. Take-home kits are an excellent option for touch-ups in between these treatments.
-
Dental Crowns
Your dentist may recommend getting dental crowns to cover stained teeth. Porcelain and ceramic dental crowns are commonly used for front teeth because they blend with your natural teeth. With advances in technology, we now offer zirconia crowns as a more durable alternative to porcelain or ceramic. Because zirconia is biocompatible, this type of crown reduces the risk of inflammation.
A dental crown will require your dentist to shape and remove more of your natural tooth to install the crown over the top. Dental crowns are more likely to be recommended when the stained tooth also has structural problems, requiring additional support or protection.
-
Porcelain Veneers
You might also consider porcelain veneers as a method of teeth whitening. Porcelain veneers are a great way to get the smile you’ve always wanted, covering unsightly stains and allowing you to enhance the shape of your teeth simultaneously. Because they’re made of porcelain, they blend in with your natural teeth perfectly.
What are the Pros of Getting Dental Veneers?
At Sydney Dental Group in Baulkham Hills, we offer composite and porcelain veneers to cosmetically enhance your smile.
Porcelain veneers are the most popular option, offering many advantages:
-
Aesthetically Pleasing
Porcelain is a ceramic with many of the same properties as natural tooth enamel, which is why porcelain veneers look so realistic when used to cover stains and discolouration. Their surface is smooth, easy to clean, and incredibly stain resistant.
-
Correct Cracked and Chipped Teeth
Besides making teeth whiter, porcelain veneers can also be used to cover cracked and chipped teeth. They can improve the look of your teeth by enhancing their shape and correcting spacing problems as well.
-
Minimally Invasive
Each patient’s teeth are unique, but your dentist trims only 0.5mm-1mm off your tooth enamel to prepare the tooth for a veneer, making this procedure minimally invasive.
-
Quick Results
Porcelain veneers improve a smile in just 2-3 dental visits. You can choose the right tooth shade as part of your dental veneers treatment. Your dentist will take preoperative photos and, sometimes, an impression to create a diagnostic wax-up of what your new smile will look like.
At a second appointment, the dentist prepares your teeth for the veneers and then takes an impression that is sent to the lab so the veneers can be fabricated. Temporary veneers will be placed to protect your prepared teeth. On your third visit, the dentist removes the temporary veneers to place your custom porcelain veneers.
-
Long-Lasting
Porcelain veneers are known for their durability. Studies conducted indicate porcelain veneers can last up to 10 years, or sometimes even 20 years if the bonding to your tooth enamel endures. Factors such as bruxism (tooth grinding) or bonding to dentin significantly reduce the lifespan of dental veneers.
-
Stain-Resistant
Not only are they stain-resistant, but they are also resistant to discolouration from tannin-rich foods and drinks like tea and tomato sauce. Porcelain veneers can retain their original colour for up to a decade with proper oral hygiene habits and regular dental visits.
What About Composite Dental Veneers?
At Sydney Dental Group, we also offer composite dental veneers as an alternative to porcelain veneers for restoring stained teeth. These veneers are bonded directly to the tooth surfaces and then shaped and polished.
For patients seeking a more cost-effective option for how to get rid of stains on teeth, composite dental veneers are a great choice. However, they may not have the same longevity or natural appearance as porcelain veneers.
Get Help Choosing the Right Dental Veneers for You
A brighter smile can make all the difference in your life, and if you want to whiten your teeth, then dental veneers are worth considering.
Consult the team at Sydney Dental Group to find out if dental veneers or other teeth whitening procedures are right for you. Call us on (02) 9158 6135 today to schedule your appointment.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
