Extrinsic Stains

and Deposits on
Teeth
 Tooth Discoloration
◦Tooth discoloration may be extrinsic or intrinsic in
nature.
◦Extrinsic stains are superficial & occur after tooth
eruption.
◦Intrinsic discoloration may result from developmental
defect of enamel or internal staining of the tooth.
 Extrinsic Staining
Extrinsic color discoloration is outside
the tooth substance and lies on the tooth
surface or in the acquired pellicle.
◦Extrinsic agents are agents which can be readily removed from the
surface of the teeth with an abrasive material.
◦The agents that are responsible for staining are deposited in
enamel defects or become attached to the enamel without bringing
about a change in its surface.
◦Pigmentation, in contrast to extrinsic staining, is associated with
an active chemical change in the tooth structure, and the resultant
pigment cannot be removed without alteration of the tooth
structure.
 Green Stain
The cause of green stain, which is
most often seen on the teeth of
young persons, is unknown,
although it is believed to be the
result of the action of chromogenic
bacteria on the enamel cuticle. The
color of the stain varies from dark
green to light yellowish
green.

The deposit is seen most often in the

gingival third of the labial surface of
the maxillary anterior teeth. The
stain collects more readily on the
labial surface of the maxillary
anterior teeth in mouth breathers.
 ORANGE
STAIN
The cause of orange
stain is likewise unknown.
Orange stain occurs less
frequently and is more
easily removed than green
stain.
The stain is most often seen
in the gingival third of the
tooth and is associated with
poor oral hygiene
 Black Stain
Occasionally develops on the
primary or permanent teeth of
children, but it is much less
common than the orange or green
type.
The stain may be seen as a line
following the gingival contour or
it may be apparent in a more
generalized pattern on the clinical
crown, particularly if there are
roughened or pitted areas.
The black type of stain is difficult
to remove, especially if it collects
in pitted areas. Many children who
have black stain are relatively free
from dental caries.
REMOVAL OF EXTRINSIC
STAINS
Extrinsic stains can be removed by polishing
with a rubber cup and flour pumice.
If the stain is resistant and difficult to remove, the
excess water should be blotted from the pumice
and the teeth should be dried before the polishing
procedure is performed. Because stains are most
often seen in a mouth in which there is poor oral
hygiene, improving the oral hygiene will minimize
the recurrence of the stain.
 PIGMENTATION CAUSED BY
STANNOUS FLUORIDE APPLICATION
During the first clinical trials involving the topical
application of an 8% stannous fluoride solution, certain areas
of the tooth became discolored. A characteristic pigmentation
of both carious and precarious lesions has been found to be
associated with exposure to stannous fluoride