Stained teeth

47-year-old patient who came to our center to solve the irregular darkening of her teeth. The patient reported a progressive darkening of her dentition in recent years, which had not been uniform, but had been more intense in some teeth than in others. The treatment consisted of a one-hour external bleaching session in the clinic, accompanied by the application of the bleaching agent at home for the following 7 days. The result provides a uniform lightening of her entire dentition that was highly satisfactory for the patient.

It should be noted that dental stains are alterations in the color of the teeth caused by intrinsic and extrinsic reasons. Intrinsic causes are those in which the pigments that alter the color of the teeth come from inside the teeth. They are related to diseases, alterations in tooth formation, intake of substances (tetracyclines, fluoride, etc.), dental aging, dental diseases (caries, trauma, necrosis, hemorrhage, etc.) and materials used to treat the tooth (amalgam dental, composite, etc.). Extrinsic causes are related to external substances that can change the color of the teeth. These substances can come from acidic or stain-causing foods (coffee, tea, wine, etc.), tobacco, or bacterial deposits.

In extrinsic stains of short duration, dental disinfection through scaling and polishing of dental surfaces is sufficient. In long-lasting extrinsic staining by tobacco or metallic agents, the professional application of internal or external bleaching agents is necessary. The teeth whitening techniques that exist today are very effective and consist of the use of components such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide that clean the inside of the teeth of the pigments that darken them. The treatment can be performed in the dental office with a light/laser that activates the whitening product or by applying the whitening medication at home. Normally, both techniques are applied together.