ALTERATIONS IN TOOTH COLOR (Page 5 of 5)
Extrinsic Staining (Figs.
14-5,
14-6,
14-7,
14-8)
Extrinsic stains result from the
adherence of colored material or bacteria to the enamel of teeth. Most
extrinsic stains tend to localize in the gingival third of the tooth above
the gingival collar where bacteria accumulate and absorb the stain.
Chromogenic bacteria can produce green to brown stains in this region from
their interaction with ferric sulfide and iron in the saliva and gingival
crevicular fluid. Fluids that contain color such as coffee, tea and
chlorhexidine and inhaled tobacco smoke impart brown to black stain to teeth.
These stains appear darkest in the gingival third of the tooth and develop as
a result of frequent oral contact and enhanced contact by bacterial
absorption. Amalgam restorations that leak into dentin produce blue-gray to
black stain. This is most often apparent in the facial aspect of maxillary
premolars that have a large cla
has a lingually placed amalgam restoration. Along the gingival margin, stain
external surface of the tooth and appear greenish-black when subgingival or
tan when supragingival. Caries can be dark like stain but causes loss of
tooth structure, stain does not.
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