Based on our experiences, the most effective and safest way to remove the extrinsic stain off your teeth is to have them “bleached” by your dentist. Before beginning the process, the dentist needs to evaluate your teeth to find out the dark color of your teeth actually comes from extrinsic stain. Other causes of discoloration include amalgam leakage, internal tooth resorption, tetracycline stain, cavity, and traumatic pulpal necrosis. These intrinsic stains require different treatment modalities to correct.

Over-the-counter bleaching kits are not safe and effective for several reasons. First, our teeth discoloration has not been precisely diagnosed. Second, the treatment cannot be checked by a dentist and you can under or overdo it. Third, the boil-out bleaching trays are not customized to your teeth, and therefore they cannot hold the bleaching medication in the right places. Finally, to increase the shelf life, most of the over- the-counter products have acidic preservatives, which can harm your teeth.