Patients at Fresh Meadows Dental Care in Flushing should have smiles they can be proud of. We offer a variety of cosmetic care options, including whitening. But some dental stains are on the inside of the tooth, and those could require more intensive treatment.
Intrinsic stains are unlikely to be responsive to external bleaching and could indicate an oral health problem. A benign cause of intrinsic staining is that the tooth was exposed to tetracycline antibiotics or a large amount of fluoride during its formation, which could make it look black or brown. This can be masked with a veneer. But a more serious problem is if the pulp is infected or necrotized. The swelling or rot could be visible from the outside and make the tooth look black, red, or purple.
Tactile and heat tests, as well as x-rays, can help us to determine if a tooth is infected. If so, we may be able to salvage it by performing root canal therapy. Once the infected material has been removed, the inside of the tooth can be bleached. After about a week, the bleach would be removed and the tooth would be sealed over. In worse cases, it may be necessary to provide an artificial crown for the tooth, which would be selected to have an attractive color. But if you have an unusual tooth stain, don’t delay getting it checked out. You don’t want an infection to spread.
Farid Hakimzadeh, DDS, operates Fresh Meadows Dental Care at 58-47 Francis Lewis Blvd., Suite 100, Flushing, New York, 11364. To schedule an appointment, call 718-224-7272 or visit Fresh Meadows Dental and fill out a contact form.
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