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Daniel Berquist, DDSJoseph Ornelas, DDS

Can Discolored Teeth Run in My Family?

August 11, 2023

Filed under: Uncategorized — regiondentalcare @ 9:16 pm
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Your smile should be something you can feel confident about, but some people deal with stubborn dental discoloration, leading some of them to spend a great deal of effort hiding their teeth. While discoloration can result from things like smoking, poor oral hygiene, or frequently drinking coffee, colas, or red wine, it can also be caused by genetic factors. Here are some hereditary reasons that one’s teeth might be not quite white and what cosmetic dentistry can do to whiten them.

What Are Some Specific Genetic Conditions That Can Discolor Teeth?

Just as thicker, whiter enamel can run in families, there are two inherited conditions known to stain or discolor teeth. These are:

Dentinogenesis Imperfecta

This hereditary condition can cause both baby teeth and permanent teeth to be weak and brittle with grayish and transparent enamel. Such teeth are more susceptible to damage.

Amelogenesis Imperfecta

This inherited mutation results in teeth having soft, fragile enamel that is prone to pitting or grooving along with brownish-yellow discoloration. People with this condition have an increased risk of damage and decay of their teeth.

What Can Cosmetic Dentistry Do to Whiten Teeth with These Conditions?

While it can be more difficult to brighten genetically discolored teeth because they are less white to begin with, there are ways to successfully do so. Porcelain veneers and metal-free restorations can be great ways to brighten a smile that is genetically off-white while also reinforcing the strength of the unusually fragile teeth.

Porcelain veneers

These are thin shells specially designed to mimic the color, luster, and shape of natural teeth, and they can be placed in as few as two appointments. During the first one, your dentist will shave off a tiny amount of enamel from the treated tooth before taking a bite impression and fixing a temporary veneer to it. Two weeks later, your dentist will cement the permanent veneer made from the impression to your tooth. Local anesthetic makes the whole procedure completely painless.

Metal-free restorations

While the dental restorations of yesteryear were made of metal and very conspicuous, modern metal-free crowns and overlays are made from individual blocks of ceramic of the ideal color for your smile. This eliminates the possibility of metal components showing through due to the restoration aging or wearing away.

Modern cosmetic dentistry can successfully whiten the smiles of people dealing with genetic conditions that discolor their teeth. Consulting with your dentist can determine if you are a good candidate for porcelain veneers or metal-free restorations.

About the Practice

Region Dental provides gentle, personalized care to the community of La Porte, IN. Led by Drs. Daniel Berquist and Joseph Ornelas, the dedicated staff forms trusting relationships with patients that last for many years. Services include preventative, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry like porcelain veneers and metal-free restorations. If you’d like help making a stubbornly discolored smile whiter, contact the office online or dial (219) 362-8980.

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