Spotty Teeth: What Causes Them and What to Do About It!

No one, as far as I know wants spotty teeth, however we are seeing more and more patients lately with white spots on their teeth.

White spots can appear on teeth for different reasons.

If they are present during the eruption of a tooth it means that they have developed during the tooth formation. In which case, it’s considered enamel hypoplasia.  The enamel formation stage has been disrupted.  In the case of hyper fluorosis, the tooth formation is disrupted in the first 8 years of life and results in white spots within the enamel or brown to yellow spots as well. The upside is that these teeth are found to be unusually resistant to decay.

Another reason for spots include the build up of plaque – typically this happens post orthodontic treatment, around wear the brackets once were – If poor oral hygiene habits occurred.

Lastly, white spots can occur where cavities may have started.

The upside to any spotty teeth is the fact that there shouldn’t be any discomfort or pain at all.  The downside is, of course as you may have guessed… the cosmetic appearance.  Like, who wants spotty teeth????????‍♂️!?

The treatment options…

There are a couple of options depending on the severity and cause.  The first option includes a Resin infiltration system, such as ICON.  This is a great option if you’re a candidate.  This allows you to lessen the the spots, essentially blend it in with the surrounding tooth color.  The best  part is that there are NO drills and No needles:)). The results can vary, but well worth the effort.

The most dependable or predictable choice would be dental veneers.  However, this could be an aggressive approach for your situation.  But it also can give you an amazing result:))

Teeth whitening for this cosmetic problem typically doesn’t work- if you were thinking about that.

Lastly, one can opt to do nothing at all! Which of course is the most conservative approach.  Feel free to reach out to discuss the pros and cons of each treatment as it applies to your situation.