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:
- Microabrasion: The most conservative method to reduce or eliminate these spots is to remove a small amount of the discolored tooth structure using an abrasive solution. This technique is usually fast, pain-free, and relatively inexpensive. It can produce a permanent result. We will tell you if this procedure is appropriate for your teeth.
- Tooth-Colored Restorations (Fillings): If the discolored spots are too deep for microabrasion, 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.
- 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 microabrasion. It is conservative, affordable, and often successful. If the spots are too deep to be removed by microabrasion, small restorations may be needed following the microabrasion. If the spots or discolorations are very deep, veneers will usually be suggested as the most adequate treatment.