Why Teeth Differ in Colour
Colour differences are usually structural and natural, not a defect.
Enamel and dentine: which sets the colour
Enamel is the body's hardest tissue, largely mineral crystal, and that structure makes it translucent. The dentine beneath is yellower and opaque, so looking at a tooth we see dentine filtered through enamel. Where enamel is thick the tooth looks lighter; where it thins the yellow shows through. The incisal edge has no dentine, only enamel, which is why it looks translucent and slightly grey — a natural feature, not a flaw.
Why some teeth look yellower
- Canines contain a greater volume of dentine
- Enamel thickness differs from that of the incisors
- Enamel thins with wear over the years
- Teeth keep laying down secondary dentine through life
- Enamel thickness varies genetically between people
- A traumatised tooth can darken from the inside
External versus internal discolouration
External staining comes from substances deposited on the enamel — tea, coffee, dark drinks and tobacco — and is largely removed by professional cleaning. Internal discolouration lies within the tooth: enamel affected during development, fluorosis, loss of pulp vitality after trauma, and age-related dentine thickening. Surface cleaning does not change these; after assessment, whitening or restorative options are considered. Whitening has limits too — the natural distribution of colour remains, and existing fillings and porcelain do not change, so they may need replacing.
Getting Here, Booking and Emergencies from Gazi
Route, booking and emergency arrangements for patients from Gazi.
Getting here from Gazi
Gazi lies in the Kepez district of Antalya; Kepez is one of the central districts, about 6 kilometres from the clinic. We also see patients from neighbouring areas that share the route from Gazi, such as Yeni Doğan, Ahatlı, Avni Tolunay, Çamlıbel. You can ask for the location on WhatsApp when travelling from Gazi.
Appointments for Gazi
At this distance, splitting treatment into visits is no problem for patients from Gazi, and attending reviews is easy too. As with patients from Kepez generally, appointments for families from Gazi can be scheduled consecutively.
Emergencies from Gazi
Setting out from Gazi at night is quick; come without delay in an emergency, and calling as you leave means preparation is done in advance. For patients coming from Dental Clinic in Gazi, the clinic is open 24/7 and in an emergency the order is set by severity rather than arrival time. For spreading facial swelling, difficulty swallowing or breathing, or toothache with fever, go to the nearest emergency department.
Thumb-Sucking and Dummies: When They Become a Problem
Sucking is a natural self-soothing behaviour in infants. The problem is not the habit itself but how long it lasts and how far it overlaps with the eruption of the teeth.
Why the limit is three to four
Changes from a habit given up by this age usually correct themselves, because the jaw is still growing and the tissues recover. The permanent front teeth erupt at six or seven; if the habit continues to then the change becomes permanent and orthodontic treatment is needed. That is the meaning of the limit.
What changes are seen
Prolonged sucking produces these:
- Anterior open bite: the front teeth do not meet and a gap remains
- The upper front teeth tipping forward
- Narrowing of the upper jaw and crossbite
- A tongue-thrust habit and speech difficulties that follow
How to help them stop
Punishment and shaming do not work and usually reinforce the habit, since the child sucks to relieve anxiety. What works is identifying when it occurs most — tiredness, boredom, bedtime — and offering an alternative comfort at those moments. Once the child wants to stop, visual trackers such as a chart work well. At this age cooperation is far more effective than compulsion.
