Friend with one yellow tooth

Hi there,

I have a close of friend of mine who has one yellow tooth on her bottom teeth. She has gone through orthodontic treatment and is currently using retainers.

The tooth is very yellow, especially in comparison to her other teeth. I have not had a close inspection but I noticed that there might be some type of build up on the tooth itself.

How can i go about letting her know and what kind of treatments are available (will whitening solve the problem? If so, how much and what kind of whitening)? What are the possible causes of this yellow tooth? I know this is a sensitive topic, thus I am seeking some advice before going ahead and asking.

Thank you.

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

Depends on whats causing the yellowness.  If its plaque and tartar buildup, a cleaning and polish should fix that right up.  If its an extrinsic (outside) stain, bleaching may help although how much whiteness she will get may vary.  If its intrinsic (inside) the tooth, then no bleaching can help and only a veneer or crown can be placed to hide the yellowness underneath.  Its also possibly she had her enamel stripped away in which case a filling (white) may be done to cover it up.  There are alot of possibilities with alot of different treatment options for each situation.

[761349]

Thanks Dr. Tsang,

Can you give me the approximate costs of these procedures? How much would bleaching cost on one tooth (or on all teeth?). Also, how is intrinsic yellowing caused?  And if it is enamel then will the filling have to be refilled often?

Thanks.

[761349]

Also, what is the cost of a crown or veneer (What is a veneer?) I live in Canada but I am guessing USD would be around the same price range? And also, what kind of insurance policies cover this?

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

I'm not sure about the costs as it varies from doctor to doctor.  

I would guess that bleaching of the whole mouth would cost approximately $200-$250?  If its a filling, it may cost about $100-$150?  If its a veneer, around $800-$1000 possibly.  It varies from doctor to doctor.  Whats most important is that you find a doctor you trust.

[761349]

Hi Dr. Tsang,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I was wondering which of these treatments are usually covered by insurance and which ones are not? If it is out of our pockets then we will need to plan around this.

Thanks!

[Jerome Tsang, DDS]

It varies from insurance to insurance based upon the policy that you have.  Name of the insurance company isn't important.  You can have great insurance with Blue Cross and you can have terrible insurance with Blue Cross.  The actual company doesn't matter as much as the actual specifics of the policy.  Generally veneers aren't covered as they are considered strictly cosmetics.