The Dental Institute, Johannesburg

A great option for you might be a professionally administered tooth whitening system. Patients with natural teeth that are discoloured due to age, smoking or other extrinsic staining factors are excellent candidates for tooth whitening. Bleaching does not work as well on teeth that have intrinsic staining, stain from within the tooth.

These stains are embedded deep into the dentin (the layer of the tooth beneath the enamel). Intrinsic stained teeth such as those that were injured or as a result of medication ingested while the teeth were forming such as tetracycline or fluoride will generally not give great results as a result of tooth whitening as those teeth that are not affected by medications, but - the teeth may appear to be brighter - these results will vary from patient to patient. Patients with these deep intrinsic stains can have other cosmetic options such as veneers and crowns to help achieve the desired results.

The best results are with patients whose teeth are yellow, orange, or light musky brown in coloration. Dramatic results are sometimes seen in some patients in just about an hour.
It is possible to place an implant at the time of extraction of the natural tooth. This presents the advantage of minimizing any delay before a final restoration is in place, although it places some pressure upon the planning process. This approach lends itself particularly nearer the front of the mouth and where only one or two teeth are a problem.