Am I a candidate for bleaching?

Q: My teeth have always been yellow. Will bleaching work on them?

A: Because the peroxide goes inside the tooth, people born with yellow teeth can benefit from bleaching.

Q: What do you need to do first to see if you are a candidate?

A: Get an examination and x-ray of any discolored teeth to make certain they are not abscessed, have decay, or internal resportion. See how many fillings you have in your "smile zone", since they will not change color with bleaching.

Q: How do you know if you would look better from bleaching?

A: When the color of your teeth matches the whites of your eyes.

Q: My teeth have gotten yellow as I got older. Will Bleaching work on them?

A: The discoloration from aging is a combination of more inside dentin forming, more enamel wearing away, and staining over the years. This is one of the most responsive discolorations to bleaching.

Q: I took tetracycline for ear infections when I was a child, and my teeth are dark and gray. Is this a good situation for bleaching?

A: The toughest stain to bleach is tetracycline, but over a period of months of nightly treatment, the teeth usually will get lighter. Most will be a lighter shade of gray and still look better. Some will get completely white, but don't expect that.

Q: I take Minocycline for acne, and my teeth seem to be getting dark. What do I do?

A: Minocycline is the best drug for acne, so you will have to keep taking it. However, it is a tetraycline, so it will stain the teeth. Bleaching periodically can re-lighten the teeth.

Q: I have been a smoker, and want to stop. Can I erase the stains from nicotine?

A: Nicotine is a stubborn stain, but will generally bleach out in 1-3 months of nightly wear. From a health standpoint, it is a great plan to stop smoking, and it keeps your teeth from re-staining.

Q: I have some white spots on my teeth. Will they go away with bleaching?

A: White spots don't go away, but the background of the tooth occasionally will get light enough to make them less noticeable. Sometimes, these white areas have to be "sanded off" or covered with a restoration (filling).

Q: I have these brown areas on my tooth. How do I get rid of them?

A: Brown is responsive to bleaching about 80% of the time, and should be the first choice for removal.