Tetracycline Teeth Whitening - What is the Process and Costs?

Question

Hi, I've tried Britesmile and inhome tray but I still have some yellowish stain toward the gum (a dentist said I must have taken a lot of antibiotics when I was a kid...and she's right!). What is the process of Tetracycline teeth whitening and how much does it typically costs? Thanks for your time.

Brad Lockhart, DDS · Answer

Bleaching tetracycline stained teeth is extremely difficult. You will see little to no improvement if done the way we normally bleach teeth. Normal teeth bleach nicely in as little as a few hours up to a couple of weeks. However, tetracycline stained teeth do not respond like normal teeth. We used to believe that there was really no hope of tetracycline stained teeth and the only way to change their color was to put veneers on them. Recently there have been documented cases of tetracycline stained teeth that if bleached DAILY for LONG periods of time (up to a YEAR or more) that bleaching was effective and not just marginally effective but DRAMATICALLY effective. The bottom line, if you have tetracycline stained teeth and you want them to appear more white then your only options are covering the teeth with veneers or crowns or bleaching DAILY for a LONG TIME. The good news is that bleaching teeth is safe and much less expensive than veneers, the bad news is that it takes a great deal of perserverance and time.

	Good luck!

Joseph Hufanda, DDS · Answer

Results of bleaching tetracycline stained teeth can run the gamut. In some cases where the tetraycyline banding was not too severe, bleaching with a lower percentage of bleach ( to minimize sensitivity) over a longer period of time resulted in lightening the lower portion of the tooth. But the cervical (near the gums) portion always appeared darker. In-office whitening can produce an intial lift in color due to the dessication (drying out) of the teeth, but as soon as the teeth re-hydrate with saliva, the "results" are lost. Save your money on bleaching and look into veneers. A skilled dentist can mask out the darker color of the underlying tooth structure and give you a beautiful, natural-looking smile. Best of luck on your quest.

Michael J. Thomas, DDS · Answer

If you want perfectly white teeth then veneers are your only option. I've tried many different brands of teeth bleaching agents and none of them totally remove the tet. stain...Coverage is usually the answer.

Elizabeth Jahanian, DDS · Answer

Unfortunately, tetracycline stains are not affected by professional whitening systems. Whitening products are great for removing extrinsic stains caused by smoking and some foods. However, tetracycline stains are intrinsic stains; they became embedded within the tooth when the tooth was developing. You may want to consider veneers on front teeth to cover these stains. Best, Dr. Elizabeth Jahanian

Tetracycline Teeth Whitening - What is the Process and Costs?

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