I think I have made a big mistake. There were a couple of spots between my teeth, near my gums, that were black. I hated it! It always looked like I had food in my teeth. So I went to my dentist and he bonded some white stuff in there. It looks terrible: the color is wrong and it doesn’t look natural. I wish I would have just stuck with the black spots. My dentist will fix it if I go back, but I’m worried he might just make it worse. What should I do?
Maggie in Virginia
Dear Maggie,
The black spots by your gums, or black triangles as they are called in the dental field, are caused by receding gums. They are very common and, for some, not even noticable. Black triangles are not easily fixed and it’s not always the best option to fix them.
Why it’s not always best to fix black triangles
- Sometimes the bonding used can have adverse affects on the gums. This can happen if the bonding doesn’t allow for sufficent flossing or leaves a small space missed by flossing that traps food and bacteria.
- Black triangles are so near the gums that getting a good bond to cover the black area can be difficult. Your gums naturally have fluid in them. If they aren’t healthy to begin with, your gums will ooze more fluid than usual and can compromise a good bond.
- As in your case, getting the bond to look natural and smooth, fitting the shape of the black triangle well and matching the rest of the tooth, isn’t a small task for an inexperienced dentist.
With the bonding you have had done, your dentist has said he’d fix it. If you really aren’t happy, you can have him “fix it” by removing all the bonding material. If you aren’t comfortable with that, you can go directly to a cosmetic dentist, who can either remove the bonding and you can then live with the black triangles, or have it done again by someone with more experience and training.
This post is sponsored by Generations Dental Care.
