Tetracycline discolouration

positron

That’s what I have – side effect of the asthma medicines that I survived on when I was 4-7 years old.

I am 30 now, and my tooth are healthy, no cavities or decay etc, some misaligned, bottom row has some gaps, and all 32 of them are like a colour chart – from dirty white to light brown!

I think its time I get this fixed, and from my own research my options seems to be crowns or porcelain veneers. I would need to get at least the top canine to canine – and may be bottom canine to canines too. I think the bottom row is wearing a lot, not sure if its serious though. Cost of the procedure is a concern, but not THE concern at the moment to be honest. I might be able to get it done cheaper.

However, I am really worried about the long term effects of the procedure. For instance, how long would the veneers last, and what if they started falling off? And if it falls off, how bad would the ‘acid etched’ surface would be? Would they require expensive maintenance frequently, for rest of my life?

Just wondering if you have considered these procedures before, could you share your thoughts please?

Thanks in advance!!

lomb

if you dont grind your teeth they can last many many years. the wear you describe is a concern as that means you may grind them. also if they are not straight on the lowers then they can put an abnormal point force in jaw excursions. so straightening them first is a good idea if this is the case. of course the darker the stain the more difficult to achieve a life like result and the deeper the preperation that unfortunately reduces the longievity as they would then be no longer be bonded to enamel. bleaching first professionally to lightne them and then waiting several weeks before preperation and bonding will produce the best and most durable result. if i was you i would seek someone who is competent to do it if you want it done. there are numerous variables to longevity from the type of bonding agents, how clean they are pre bonding. then there is the aesthetics , this is not just taking a shade and off to any old lab. the best i know are very methodical in approach but also therefore expensive.

positron

lomb, thank you, sounds a lot more complicated than I hoped!

I don't have an awful lot of money set aside for this - so I might not be able to afford the treatment here in Dublin. I was hoping to get this done while I am on holidays in India for a month - I am likely to be going there once or twice a year anyway!

I am not sure if wear is caused by bruxism - I don't remember waking up with sore jaw etc. Never had gums bleeding. GF confirms she hasn't heard anything either. However, I do wake up with mild headache time to time, especially on weekends when I try to sleep longer than say weekdays - I tend to naturally wake up at the usual weekday schedule - and I always thought thats something to with my sleep pattern / REM period / body-clock thing. I think I need to get this checked out.

The lower row is slightly misaligned, and slightly uneven too. When you said I might need to get this straightened, are we talking about braces, or is it by grinding down the teeth itself?

I think I should get professional opinion here before I head out - any recommendations on where (dentist, or cosmetic dentist etc) in Dublin city center, and how much it would cost?

Thanks again!