Whitening Your Teeth Part 3: What is the Treatment for Stained Restorations?

All of us have seen the magical results we get after tooth bleaching.

However, this procedure cannot be performed frequently; and in cases where patients have tooth-colored fillings, they are not affected by the bleaching treatment. These filled teeth tend to stand out in the oral cavity while the rest of the natural teeth have become pearly white, giving an unsightly appearance.

Such patients should not worry, since dentists have a solution for that too!

In cases where the stained restorations cannot be bleached, the patients are provided with indirect restorations such as veneers. Another treatment option includes the removal of the stained restorative material and replacement with a fresh filling material.

What Are Indirect Restorations?

Any form of dental restorative material that is fabricated within the laboratory, and then placed onto a patient’s prepared teeth, is called an indirect restoration.

A ceramic veneer is a perfect example of an indirect restoration. A veneer is a thin restoration that is directly bonded to the prepared tooth structure, after fabrication in the laboratory. Compared to direct restorations such as composites, glass ionomers, and silver amalgams, veneers have a longer service life, are esthetically more pleasing, and can be easily prepared without defects in the dental laboratory.

Another advantage of the indirect restoration is that they possess lesser flaws after fabrication, since they are produced in ideal laboratory conditions.

What Are Veneers Made Up Of?

Several materials are available in the market for the fabrication of veneers; however, composites and dental ceramics are most commonly used:

• Dental Ceramics –these are a group of inorganic metallic oxides with excellent strength, as well as esthetics. Compared to composites, ceramics are longer lasting; however, their fabrication is more time consuming, and requires additional visits to the dental clinic.
• Dental Composites –these are a group of plastic-like materials bonded to the tooth structure with the help of a suitable bonding agent. Composite veneers are either directly built onto the tooth, or indirectly prepared in a laboratory. Compared to composite direct filling materials, composite veneers do not undergo shrinkage after placement in the oral cavity, since they have already been polymerized in the dental lab. The composites are comparatively easier to fabricate and less costly, but are not as long-lasting as dental ceramics.

Replacement of the Restorative Material

Another option to treat stained restorations is to replace them with a new filling. Since the previous restoration, along with a part of the natural tooth structure, has to be sacrificed, this procedure is not as tooth conservative as veneers. Furthermore, inherent problems related to the filling materials, such as the vulnerability of composites to water exposure, their tendency shrink as well as the inability of glass ionomers to resist heavy occlusal forces, still persist, and again become a cause for the restoration’s failure. Furthermore, direct restorations tend to become stained relatively quickly, and may require frequent replacement.

In Conclusion

Provision of veneers in order to mask stained teeth and restorations proves to be a cost-effective, tooth conserving, and long-term option for the patients, in comparison to replacing the old filling with a newer one.