I’ve had dental bonding on my teeth since 2001 for areas of teeth erosion near my gumline. The bonding was on the four teeth behind my upper left front tooth. My teeth are also discolored from tetracycline stains. The dentist who did the initial bonding did superior work, and it lasted until 2021. Since then, I’ve had the bonding replaced three times, but the fillings pop out. The first dentist who tried to replace the bonding did so twice with no success. So, six months ago, I switched to a new dentist who replaced the bonding, but one filling fell out two weeks ago. Should I give up on dental bonding and switch to porcelain veneers? Is there anything new in teeth whitening that would help discoloration? I am afraid that I won’t be able to find a dentist to do the filling or veneers without my dark teeth showing through. If I had not relocated from the west coast, I would return to the dentist who did the original bonding in 2001, but that isn’t an option now. Thanks for your help.
Bianca,
We understand your concerns and frustration with tooth fillings that repeatedly pop out.
Why Do Tooth Fillings at the Gumline Pop Out?
Tooth fillings can pop out at the gumline if a dentist chooses a durable hybrid composite material because they lack the flexibility to withstand the forces on front teeth. Often, teeth clenching or grinding increases the pressure on teeth, and the fillings can pop out.
Skilled cosmetic dentists use flexible microfill restorative materials to help fillings stay in around the gumline. Silux Plus and Renamel are two brands of bonding that will bend with the tooth when a cosmetic dentist is skillful in bonding techniques.
Hiding Tetracycline Stains on Front Teeth
Although porcelain veneers can beautifully transform your smile and hide tetracycline stains, they require a highly artistic cosmetic dentist to give you natural-looking results. Otherwise, your veneers can look opaque or pasty. A cosmetic dentist can determine if in-office teeth whitening will lighten the tetracycline stains some, but you would still need cosmetic dentistry to restore your teeth.
We recommend consulting with at least two cosmetic dentists to explore your treatment options.
David Finley, DDS, a Monroe, Louisiana, accredited cosmetic dentist and Academy of General Dentistry Fellow, sponsors this post. Read about what Dr. Finley, Dr. Henderson, and Dr. Coughran do to provide some of the best dental care in Monroe.
Last week I got in-office teeth whitening, and it looks great. I scheduled the whitening two months ago but did not tell my dentist that my gums had been sore between my upper right first and second molars for the past three weeks. I do not have pain or sensitivity between either tooth. After whitening, the pain is more frequent after I eat. It goes away after an hour or so. I figured that the whitening made it worse. Should I wait a bit to see if the pain improves or schedule an appointment with my dentist? I’m a little embarrassed that I didn’t tell my dentist about the issue before I got teeth whitening. Thanks. Trevor from KY
My teeth look gray. Is there any hope for my gray teeth and whitening them? Should I ask a dentist for whitening treatment? My teeth haven’t always been this shade, but the problem has worsened over the past eight years. The stains are not on my teeth. They look like they are coming from the inside. I am disappointed that my dentist does not seem more concerned because I’ve had the same dentist for the past ten years. I’ve decided to see a different dentist about the staining. But before I schedule an appointment, can you give me an idea of what to expect for treatment? Thank you. Levi from Illinois
Teeth whitening breaks down years of embedded stains in your teeth. But if you are concerned about getting the best results, you may wonder if what you eat affects how bright your teeth get. We will discuss the results of five studies and how you can decide what is right for you.
