ALTERATIONS IN TOOTH COLOR (Page 1 of 5)
Intrinsic Staining (Fig
14-1,
14-2,
14-3,
14-4
)
Alteration in tooth color, from the usual whitish appearance, is indicative
of a genetic or acquired abnormality. Genetic processes that alter tooth
color include amelogeneis and dentinogenesis imperfecta and dentin dysplasia.
Acquired alterations in tooth color result from intrinsic or extrinsic
processes. Intrinsically stained teeth are caused by loss of tooth vitality,
the intake of drugs (i.e., teteracycline) and chemicals (excess fluoride),
and certain disease states (hepatitis, biliary disease, erythroblastosis
fetalis, porphyria) that occur during periods of tooth development.
Extrinsic processes that stain teeth result from dark substances becoming
adherent to the external tooth surface (see
Extrinsic Staining).
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