Ping: Dental Gurus? I guess?

[MJ4H]

So, I've wanted to do this for a long time, but it is an embarrassing subject for me. I have some pretty severe stains on my teeth. I would like to get rid of them. Normal cleanings haven't done the job, and the techs say they can't be removed that way. Well, fine. I think I'm going to need veneers or something like that? Or can the really strong whitening techniques do this?

I'd be willing to spend a few thousand on this if I had to (obviously, I'd rather not), because it has been a major problem for me. I really underestimated how big of a problem this would be in my life, but as I get older, I get more and more self-conscious about it. I am getting to the point where I'm desperate enough to post here about it.

Why don't you just go to the dentist? I have. It really hasn't been helpful. Besides, I feel like I should know enough about the options out there to hold my ground in a discussion with a professional about the issue since it will deal with a large amount of money. I don't just want to go in there and have them tell me I have to have x which will cost all this money and I don't have alternatives when I probably do.

So, is there anyone on here with experience that can lend me some knowledge or tips? This is going to be a major deal for me in my life in the next few years and I want to start getting educated about it.

I'm almost positive I've missed out on great jobs because of this problem, incidentally. It definitely hurts my self-confidence, as well. I'm just tired of this feeling and want to do something about it.

Thanks for any help.

[JediKooter]

The only thing I can think of would be to exhaust non invasive stuff before doing the veneers. If that makes sense? What are these stains from? You chew or smoke? If you do, I'd cut that stuff out as well.

[k0ruptr]

I'm gonna piggy back on this thread as I am in what seems to be a pretty much same same similar situation as MJ4H. I hate my stains on my teeth and I get pretty self conscious about it some times and would love to get rid of them. So whatever suggestions people have I am also willing to try. My stains are most likely from Caffeine, and maybe smoking, although they were mostly there before I even took a puff so not sure how much that really contributed to be honest.

[k0ruptr]

Dola - thanks MJ4H for posting this, I would of never had the guts to post it my self, and I hear you on the embarrassing stuff. it sucks, trust me I know.

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

The only thing I can think of would be to exhaust non invasive stuff before doing the veneers. If that makes sense? What are these stains from? You chew or smoke? If you do, I'd cut that stuff out as well.

I don't know, and no. I don't know if it is some condition or if my general level of care throughout my life has been inadequate (I wouldn't have thought this, but something is wrong). There isn't anything obvious I can do to stop or reverse the process.

[McLovin]

I know a guy at work with pretty bad stains and he said it was from taking Tetracycline as a kid. It's an antibiotic and if taken when the teeth are forming it will cause bad staining. Bleaching doesn't work because the stains are too dark so Vaneers are the way to go in this case.

Don't know if this helps...

[Izulde]

Whatever you do, do *not* do the Zoom whitening. Worst pain I have -ever- been in, in my entire life and they didn't last very long.

[MJ4H]

Two very helpful posts, thank you.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by MJ4H

I don't know, and no. I don't know if it is some condition or if my general level of care throughout my life has been inadequate (I wouldn't have thought this, but something is wrong). There isn't anything obvious I can do to stop or reverse the process.

Oh shoot, ok. Do you use a soft, medium or hard tooth brush? I've heard that using a hard tooth brush can actually wear down the enamel and maybe that can be the cause of the staining? Have you talked to anyone that has had veneers done and what they think?

[MJ4H]

Various, and no I've never talked to anyone. Never had the opportunity to do so.

[stevew]

dunno if it is national or if they do vaneers but Aspen Dental was very good about telling you exactly how much a procedure costs ahead of time.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by McLovin

I know a guy at work with pretty bad stains and he said it was from taking Tetracycline as a kid. It's an antibiotic and if taken when the teeth are forming it will cause bad staining. Bleaching doesn't work because the stains are too dark so Vaneers are the way to go in this case.

Don't know if this helps...

Fun fact unrelated to teeth, but tetracycline will also stain bones.

It's some wicked stuff

[MJ4H]

I don't even know what that is. Is there anyway to know if I was ever given that?

[lungs]

Take a look at the wikipage

[MJ4H]

I guess I'm very interested in Porcelain or Composite Veneers. They seem pretty expensive, but I think I am willing to pay for it if I can get financing of some sort.

Does anyone know anything about these things? What I have read it seems they last awhile but not forever. Any information is helpful while I figure this out.

My gosh to be able to smile naturally, I don't even know what I would do with myself.

[Ksyrup]

I've had veneers on my front 2 teeth since I was about 14 or 15 to cover stains that I had on those teeth when they first came in. Not sure what kind they are, but they have held up well for almost 25 years. WIthin the last year I asked my dentist about them, and she said they don't need to be replaced any time soon.

We're not sure where the stains came from, but they were always there. When I was born, I spent several months in an incubator. The oriiginal dentist thought that maybe the stains occurred at tooth formation from the incubator, but no one's really sure.