Discoloration
Stained teeth in Greenwich, CT: not all discoloration whitens
Surface staining lifts fairly easily. Color coming from within the tooth does not respond to any whitening gel, and knowing which one you have can save you money.
How urgent is it?
Routine visit
Cosmetic, with one exception: a single tooth that has darkened on its own may have a dying nerve and should be checked.
Opening hours
Mon–Tue 8a–7p · Wed–Thu 8a–5p · Fri 9a–2p
What this usually means
The causes we see most often
01
Surface staining
Coffee, tea, red wine, and tobacco bind to the outer layer of the tooth. This is the stain that a cleaning and whitening both handle well.
02
Thinning enamel
As enamel wears, the darker layer beneath it shows through more. The teeth are not really stained; they have simply become more translucent.
03
One dark tooth
A single tooth that is darker than its neighbors, particularly after an old injury, usually means the nerve inside has died.
04
Staining laid down as the tooth formed
Certain childhood medications and fluoride patterns create internal color that whitening simply cannot reach.
What to do right now
Before you get here
- 01
Rinse with water after coffee, tea, or wine rather than brushing right away.
- 02
Avoid charcoal and abrasive whitening pastes. They scratch enamel, and scratched enamel tends to pick up more stain.
- 03
Notice whether the shade changed gradually across all your teeth or suddenly in just one. That distinction is essentially the diagnosis.
- 04
Have your cleaning before pursuing whitening. Some people find they need nothing else.
What we would do
At the appointment
We work out where the color is coming from, whether the surface, the thickness of enamel, or a single dead nerve, before recommending anything.
Surface stain often comes off entirely at a hygiene visit. Where whitening is appropriate, we do it in-office and then follow up with custom trays for you to maintain at home.
Where the color is internal, whitening will disappoint, and we say so plainly. A single dark tooth is treated on its own, while enamel that has thinned is a conversation about veneers or bonding rather than gel.
How we fix it
The treatments this usually leads to
Q & A
What patients ask us about this
On mild surface staining, somewhat. They tend to fit poorly, so the gel reaches the middle of the teeth and not the edges, which is why results can look patchy.
No. Porcelain and composite do not change color, so whitening the natural teeth around older restorations can make those restorations look darker by comparison. We plan the order of treatment with that in mind.
Most often the nerve inside has died, frequently years after an old injury. It needs a proper examination, and it is treatable, usually with root canal treatment followed by internal whitening or a crown.
Where we are
211 East Putnam Avenue, Suite 2-6, Cos Cob
Minutes from central Greenwich on East Putnam Avenue, with parking at the building.
Patients travel to us from
Describe it in your own words when you call. We will tell you whether it needs us today.