Definition

Tetracycline staining

Grey-brown intrinsic bands caused by tetracycline antibiotics taken during tooth development. It is one of the few stains that may need veneers or extended professional bleaching rather than a home routine.

Related terms

Measure it on your own smile

One photo gives you a whiteness score, a VITA shade match and a visible stain estimate — the vocabulary in this glossary, applied to your teeth.