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Tetracycline is a popular antibiotic used to treat infections, but it can negatively impact the appearance of teeth. The medicine may cause dark stains if prescribed to pregnant women or to young children whose teeth are still forming. The resulting stains can be brown or grey and may partially or completely cover the tooth.
People with tetracycline stained teeth can often feel self-conscious about smiling. If you are affected there’s no need to put up with this, as your dentist in Fresno can recommend options for treating or hiding the stains. Sometimes teeth whitening will be effective, but otherwise porcelain veneers can successfully hide stains and can be a great choice for restoring your smile.
In the past, teeth whitening treatments were often ineffective against tetracycline stains as they are intrinsic, which means the stains are inside the tooth. Nowadays repeated laser whitening sessions at your dentist, and the use of stronger bleaching gels can sometimes work if the stains are not particularly bad.
However it’s far more common to cover-up tetracycline stains with porcelain veneers. These are thin shells of porcelain that cover the front surfaces of your teeth, providing a gorgeous white smile. The veneers are durable and stain resistant and will blend in beautifully with your natural teeth.
Your dentist in Fresno will need to prepare the teeth for veneers, through removing a tiny amount of tooth surface. Next, they will take dental impressions to send to the laboratory so your veneers can be custom-made. In the meantime your prepared teeth may be covered up with temporary veneers, and this is a great chance to get a preview of your new smile. Your next appointment will be for fitting the veneers, and it’s possible your dentist will need to make minor adjustments before they look absolutely perfect and can be permanently bonded in position.
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