IN-within

cannot be removed by brushing scaling or polishing

EX-external (outside tooth)

can be removed with brush, polish or scale

ex-external

stains originate from outside the tooth

can be intrinsic or extrinsic.

EN-inside

stain caused by factors inside tooth

(pulp death)tooth discoloration

can only be intrinsic

extrinsic caused by food and poor oral hygiene usually at gingival margin

can be removed by brushing, scaling and polishing

bacterial plaque and material alba

nesmuths membrane

usually affect maxillary anteriors

chromogenic gram + fungal actinomytes

children mostly but can be adult

use chlorophyll preparation

do not scale due to demineralization only brush and polish

extrinsic

dark brown or black line 1-3 mm from gingiva

usually on facial and lingual max anteriors and lingual proximals on posteriors

all ages but common in menopausal women and children and clean mouths.

when micro organism in intermicrobial matrix is embedded.

yellow stain

black line stain

green stain

tobacco stain

brown stains

examples of brown stain include

stannous flouride

coffee

brown pellicle

betel leaf

antibiotics

remove by light scale and polish

chromogenic

cervical 1-3

light scale and polish

copper or brass-green/bluish stain

inhaling dust

light scale and polish

pulpless tooth

tetracycline from 3rd trimester to early childhood

endogenous intrinsic

grey hue, missing pulp

enamel displasia 

endogenous intrinsic missing enamel