Intrinsic Stains Versus Extrinsic Stains
This post has actually been inspired by a comment written to my post about Teeth Whitening Procedures – what kind of teeth whitening products aid in removing intrinsic stains on teeth.
First I want to briefly explain what intrinsic stains are:
Intrinsic stains on teeth are located within the tooth anatomy (on the interior of the tooth), as opposed to extrinsic stains that appear on the surface of the tooth. The tooth enamel might have very small, invisible fissures or cracks through which the stains get absorbed into the tooth.
Unfortunately intrinsic stains are much harder to treat compared to extrinsic stains, as they cannot be reached properly within the tooth. No amount of brushing, flossing or prophylaxes can remove intrinsic stains. So essentially they are much harder to treat than the surface discoloration of teeth that can be treated at home with over the counter teeth whitening products.
But all is not lost – even though it was thought in the past that tooth bleaching could not lighten intrinsic stains, experts in cosmetic dentistry today believe that even those deep-set stains can be treated with take-home teeth whitening products as long as the tooth whitening will be supervised by a dentist, and go on for several months, possibly even a year. So despite the fact that intrinsic stains cannot be removed as such, they can be lightened in color significantly by dental bleaching.
Whatever you decide to do if you have intrinsic stains on your teeth, you need to go and see a dentist before you start any treatment.
You can find more helpful information on these sites:
Categories: Teeth Whitening Tags: discoloration, intrinsic stains, teeth whitening procedures
Teeth Whitening Procedures – A Look At “At Home Teeth Whitening”
When it comes to whiten your teeth, it is important to know what you are doing. You only have one set of teeth, and you certainly don’t want to ruin them for life!
There are several teeth whitening procedures available today, ranging from the very expensive visits to a dentist to whiten your teeth at home. In this article we want to have a quick look at what’s available for at home teeth whitening. Read more…
