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.