When you look in the mirror and see that your teeth look a bit yellow, then it may be easy to pinpoint a reason. Maybe you indulged too much in coffee or wine, and you are planning to cut back. But what if your pearly whites have a gray look to them? The reasoning may seem harder to figure out, but can your dentist also fix them up? Keep reading to learn some causes of this discoloration and which cosmetic dental treatments can help.
What’s Causing My Gray Teeth?
Some people may have naturally gray teeth, but other times it can happen gradually. In a few instances, it may even be only one tooth! There are a few different reasons why this can happen, such as:
- Your tooth has died due to trauma or an infection that damaged the inner pulp and nerves. Over time, it can turn into a dark grayish-blue color.
- You have metal restorations, like a crown or silver filling, that caused some discoloration due to their materials becoming visible.
- Exposed to a certain antibiotic (tetracycline) when you were a child or in the womb. This often is permanent and may not respond as well to whitening.
- Have a hereditary tooth development disorder, dentinogenesis imperfecta, that causes a blue-gray color and weakens your teeth.
How Can My Dentist Fix My Gray Teeth?
While you may feel self-conscious about discolored teeth, there are a couple of treatments that can be helpful in brightening them. After you have a consultation with your dentist, there are often two choices that tend to stick out.
You might be able to get a professional take-home whitening kit! These are much more effective and safer for your smile than anything you can find in stores, as they use a higher-quality bleaching gel. After wearing the customized trays for a specified amount of time over a couple of weeks, you will have results that are six to eight shades brighter. That being said, if you have tetracycline-affected teeth, then this option may not be suitable as it can whiten unevenly.
The other treatment that may be recommended is veneers. For this cosmetic work, your dentist will remove a small amount of your enamel in order to bond thin, porcelain shells to the front of your teeth. They can cover the gray color, as well as chips, cracks, and even minor gaps.
Everyone deserves to feel confident in their smile! You can talk to your dentist about the reasons for your dental discoloration and what you can do to make them the pearly whites you dream of.
About the Practice
Dr. Harvey Mahler is here to help the Chicago community get the grins they are proud of through many cosmetic dental treatments. He gets to the root of your problem and offers an effective plan that leaves you feeling better. With state-of-the-art technology, you can even see your results before you commit, so you know you’ll enjoy them in the end. If you have gray or stained teeth you want to fix, schedule an appointment or call his office at (312) 263-5262.