Tooth Whitening & Removal of Superficial Spots

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Tooth whitening (or bleaching) is a simple, non-invasive dental treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel and is an ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile.

Because having whiter teeth has now become the number one aesthetic concern of most patients, there are a number of ways to whiten teeth.  The most popular method is using a home tooth whitening system that will whiten teeth dramatically.  Since tooth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc.  Replacement of any restorations will be done after bleaching so they will match the newly bleached teeth.

Tooth whitening is not permanent.  A touch-up maybe needed every several years, and more often if you smoke, drink coffee, tea, or wine.

Reasons for tooth whitening:

  • Fluorosis (excessive fluoridation during tooth development).
  • Normal wear of outer tooth layer.
  • Stained teeth due to medications (tetracycline, etc.).
  • Yellow, brown stained teeth.

What does tooth whitening involve? 

When you decide to whiten your teeth, impressions (molds) will be made of your teeth to fabricate custom, clear plastic trays.  We can help jump start the whitening process in our office by applying a whitening solution to your teeth over the course of an hour. 

After the initial appointment, you will be instructed to wear the trays with the whitening product for a certain amount of time per day over the next few weeks depending on the degree of staining and desired level of whitening.  It is normal to experience tooth sensitivity during the time you are whitening your teeth, but it will subside shortly after you have stopped bleaching.

You will receive care instructions for your teeth and trays, and be encouraged to visit your dentist regularly to help maintain a healthy, beautiful, white smile.

For more information regarding tooth whitening, view our Teeth Whitening Information Sheet

Removal of Superficial Spots on Teeth

There are numerous causes of superficial white, brown, gray, or orange spots on the surfaces of teeth.  If you want to remove these spots or discolorations, they may be removed in one or more ways:

1. Microabrasian: The most conservative method to reduce or eliminate these spots is to remove a small amount of the discolored tooth structure using an abraive solution.  This technique is usually fast, pain-free, and relatively inexpensive.  It can produce a permanent result. 

2. Tooth-Colored Restorations (Fillings): If the discolored spots are too deep for microabrasian, they may be removed by removing a small amount of the discolored tooth structure and restoring the correct color by placement of small, tooth-colored restorations. Usually, these restorations match the color of the tooth structure very well, and they serve for several years.

3. Veneers: If your teeth have numerous, deep discolorations, veneers, which are thin, custom-made pieces of plastic or ceramic, can be bonded to the surfaces of the teeth to cover the spots. Veneers provide an excellent appearance and serve well for several years.

If possible, we suggest beginning with conservative microabrasian.  It is conservative, affordable, and often successful.  If the spots are too deep to be removed by microabrasian, small restoration may be needed following the microabrasian.  If the spots or discolorations are very deep, veneers will usually be suggested as the most adequate treatment.

Please ask us if you have any questions.