Can I Whiten My Porcelain Veneers?
I have porcelain veneers. I’ve had loved them but they are getting coffee stains on them. My dentist told me that there was no way to whiten them after they were made, but is there a way to get them as white as they were at the beginning?
Laslo
Dear Laslo,
I’m glad you wrote. Teeth whitening will not work on anything but natural tooth structure. The problem is more complicated than that anyway.
Porcelain veneers have a glaze on them which is very stain resistant. In fact, they are more stain resistant than even your natural tooth enamel. If it is picking up stains, then that means the glaze has been damaged somehow. There are a couple of ways that can happen.
First, if you use an abrasive toothpaste, like a whitening toothpaste, it will scratch the glazing on both your porcelain veneers as well as your natural teeth, which will cause your teeth to begin picking up stains.
A second option is if the hygienist in your dental office damaged them. This can happen if they used something like a power prophy jet or acidulated fluoride. If the stains started happening shortly after a checkup and cleaning, then that would be my first guess.
If the glaze has been damaged, then a diamond polishing kit can get them to shine again. The other option is to replace them. If your dentist’s office damaged them, then you may be able to get them to pay for the replacement. However, it may be tricky to prove it was them.
Once your porcelain veneers are in good shape again, you can help keep surface stains off of them by using Supersmile Toothpaste. This is specifically designed to be used with cosmetic dental work. It safely removes stains with a chemical compound instead of abrasives.
I hope this helps. This blog is brought to you by a gentle dentist in Moline Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Can I Deternine the Whiteness of My Teeth?
Is it possible to determine the exact color that I whiten my teeth to? I am hoping to get my teeth the same color as my eyeballs. Don’t laugh. Is that even a possibility or am I being unrealistic?
Edith
Dear Edith,
First, I would never laugh at a patient’s request or questions. Funny jokes, sure, but never genuine inquiries. Second, let me congratulate you on posting one of the most unique questions that I have had in a while. The answer to your question has two parts.
Part one depends on how white your eyeballs actually are. There are limits to how white tooth bleaching can get teeth. Though, they can get them stunningly white.
Part two has more to do with getting an exact match. That can be a bit tricky with teeth whitening. The reason for this is that even after you stop whitening, the gel will continue to whiten your teeth for one to two weeks.
If an EXACT match is what you’re after, then the best way to achieve that is with porcelain veneers. A skilled cosmetic dentist can match your veneers to pretty much any color that you want.
This is why when a patient is getting a complete smile makeover with porcelain veneers, but the patient can’t afford enough porcelain veneers to cover every tooth that is visible when you smile, we recommend they get their teeth whitened first. This way the veneers can be matched to their new whiter teeth.
If you go the porcelain veneers route, it’s important that you make sure your dentist has post doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. You will also want to check out their smile gallery to make sure they can create beautiful results. If you do not love what you see in their smile gallery, you will not like the results you get. If they do not have a smile gallery, that tells me that they either do not do enough cosmetic work to provide a gallery or their results aren’t that great and they don’t want to display them.
You’ll also want to make sure that they are willing to try them in with a temporary try-in paste. They way you get to see them on your smile and if you aren’t thrilled with the results, then they should be willing to send them back to the lab and make the changes which you want.
This blog is brought to you by a metal-free dentist in Moline Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Peroxide for Teeth Whitening
I understand that the teeth whitening gel that dentists use are made of peroxide. I was thinking about saving some time going back and forth to the dentist by just whitening with the peroxide I have at home. How long would I have to keep it on? Do you have any recommendations for how to go about it?
Laurie
Dear Laurie,
While it is true that dentists use a peroxide to whiten teeth, it is not the peroxide you are purchasing over the counter. Using over-the-counter peroxide That is a liquid 3% solution, which is very weak. What your dentist uses is a gel that is at least 33% peroxide. It’s significantly stronger.
If you were to try to do this yourself, you would need to keep the peroxide on your teeth for a minimum of fifteen minutes at a time for it to penetrate the teeth. Because it would be liquid that would mean that you would have to keep swishing it around in your mouth for that length of time. Not only would that be uncomfortable for you and impractical, but there is a negative medical side effect, too.
This is because peroxide is great at killing bacteria. The only problem with that is it does not distinguish between good an bad bacteria. As a result, you will end up with an oral yeast infection on the soft tissue in your mouth.
The safest thing for you to do is to have professional teeth whitening done. Not only is the whitening more effective because it is stronger and in gel form, but your dentist will provide you with a custom fitted tray that you will wear over your teeth. This will keep the gel on your teeth while protecting your mouth and gums. You won’t have to go back and forth, You can wear the trays at home and your dentist will provide you with the gel to take with you.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Click here to learn about in office Zoom Whitening where you can get brilliantly white teeth in just one appointment.
Teeth Whitening and Dental Fillings
I have quite a few dental fillings. Some of them are amalgam, that I want to replace. Others are composite, which I like. But, I want to whiten my teeth so I will likely need to change the composite fillings too so that they can match. My question is what order do I do this? Is there anything else I need to know about changing fillings?
Charlie
Dear Charlie,
I’m glad you wrote. I would start with the teeth whitening. That will allow you get your teeth the color you want and then you will be able to match the new dental fillings to the brighter color. There are a couple of types of professional teeth whitening. You can do at home teeth whitening. This allows you to just put the whitening gel in some custom made trays that your dentist provides for you and you wear them at a time which is most convenient for you. Obviously, the longer you wear them each day, the faster your teeth whitens, but that schedule is completely up to you.
A second option is Zoom Whitening. This allows you to whiten your teeth in one day, but you’ll do it in your dentist’s office with several short whitening sessions under the Zoom light. Once you have your teeth the color you want, then you can go ahead and replace your fillings.
The amalgam fillings that you have are made mostly from mercury. While the American Dental Association does say they are safe, mercury is a known toxin so you want to make sure that the dentist you have do the procedure knows how to do a sanitary amalgam removal. You do not want to inhale or swallow any of the mercury.
I would look for a mercury-free dentist or a holistic dentist when it comes to switching out your fillings. They will know the right safety precautions to take as well as have the equipment required to do the job properly.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Tetracycline Stains and No Money for Porcelain Veneers
I’ve had tetracycline stains for most of my life. Ten years ago, I asked my dentist if I could whiten my teeth to get rid of the stains. He told me that the only solution for tetracycline stains is porcelain veneers. I priced those and there is not a chance in the world I will be able to afford that. My smile is so humiliating to me that I never do it. Is there a chance that teeth whitening has improved enough in the last ten years to make a difference?
Kelly
Dear Kelly,
While porcelain veneers are still the best solution for tetracycline stains, you can make a decent difference by using teeth whitening. Make sure you use take home teeth whitening trays instead of something like Zoom Whitening. Zoom would take too many sessions and you are trying to save money.
While you can make a difference with the bleaching, you will have to be persistent. You will get the best results if you can wear the trays overnight. If you can’t tolerate the bleaching for that long, then just wear them during the day for as long as you can. I would plan on bleaching for several months but it will make a difference.
As I mentioned at the beginning, porcelain veneers will give you a much better result. My recommendation is that you start with the whitening while you save up for the veneers. However, you would need to have them done by a skilled cosmetic dentist. Dental school will not be enough. You will want someone with post doctoral training in cosmetic dentistry. This is especially true when it comes to tetracycline stains. They are one of the most challenging cases there are.
You’ll want to ask if they’ve done these type of cases before. If they haven’t, look for someone else. If they say they have done them, then ask to see before and after images of the cases so that you can get an idea whether or not the results are beautiful and something that you would be proud to have yourself.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Pain with Teeth Whitening
I’ve been whitening my teeth and I’ve started having some pain. It only lasts a few seconds, but it does hurt. It’s always around where I had a chipped tooth repaired. I’ve stopped whitening for now. Do you know if teeth whitening could weaken the bonding around the tooth repair. If so, how do I handle this?
Paula
Dear Paula,
There hasn’t been a case where teeth whitening damaged the bonding on a tooth repair. I’m assuming that you had dental bonding repairing the chip. Something that can damage bonding is alcohol, so you definitely do not want to allow alcohol to sit on your teeth. Also, be aware that if you use mouthwash, make sure you use one that is alcohol free. There are some out there.
In your case, it sounds more like something has damaged your tooth repair which left a little open spot. With that exposed, even a little bit, it would be easy for you to have that pain. My suggestion is that you continue to pause the teeth whitening until you see your dentist. Have him repair your tooth. Hopefully, you are having your teeth whitening done through a dentist. They can fix the spot that was damaged and then you’ll be able to continue with your whitening.
If you’re not doing this under the care of a dentist, then I think it is important you find one. Not only will your dentist be able to prevent a host of other problems that can pop up. Plus, your dentist can provide you with a lot stronger of a whitening gel which will allow you to whiten your teeth a whole lot faster than anything you can get over the counter.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel, a metal-free dentist.
Will Crest Whitestrips Damage My Porcelain Veneers?
I had four porcelain veneers placed. I like them a lot but my other teeth look so dark next to them. If I got something like Crest Whitestrips to try to whiten my natural teeth, would they damage my porcelain veneers?
Camilla
Dear Camilla,
I am glad you like your porcelain veneers. It is a shame that your dentist did not plan your case better. In fact, I am a bit frustrated on your behalf. He could have avoided you having any color differences.
Most people have smiles that are eight to ten teeth wide, so he should have known that four veneers would have a color discrepancy. The solution to that, when you can’t get ten teeth veneered, is to have professional teeth whitening done ahead of time. This ensures that your smile blends together naturally.
While Crest Whitestrips will not damage your porcelain veneers, I do not think that you will get the results you are hoping for out of them. First, the whitening gel that they use is very weak. It would take a large number of boxes to see any real results. Second, they are only designed to cover the front six teeth. As four of those are veneered, you’ll only be getting two teeth with any gel on them. You could wear two sets or cut them in half, but that will not help with the strength.
In your place, I would ask your dentist to make custom teeth whitening trays for you. They could even be designed to go around your porcelain veneers. The gel your dentist can provide you is significantly stronger than anything you would get over the counter, which means your teeth will whiten much sooner.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Click here to learn about metal-free dental care.
Dental Bonding and Teeth Whitening
I have some dental bonding that has been on for a few years. They’re pretty stained at this point. My dentist did tell me they would have to be replaced every few years, but I’m hoping to put off replacing them right now. While I know that teeth whitening cannot whiten dental bonding, is it possible for it to whiten it just back to where it was originally? If so, could I use white strips like you get at the store?
Steven
Dear Steven,
Unfortunately, teeth whitening will only whiten your natural tooth structure. Even if it could whiten them, I would not recommend Crest White strips to do it, if that was what you were referring to when you mentioned white strips. While they do work to whiten natural teeth, they have a much weaker gel than you would get with professional teeth whitening. You’d have to purchase a large number of boxes to get any significant results
While bleaching cannot get your dental bonding back to their original coloring. Sometimes, if the stains are just surface, then your dentist can polish them up to look better. However, dental bonding does not have the same type of protective glaze that porcelain veneers do. That makes it very possible the stains are more internal. If that is the case, then the only thing you can do is replace them.
I would expect replacing them periodically to be a regular part of having dental bonding. If you are looking for something more permanent, then porcelain veneers might be what you want. These can last for decades when well taken care of.
If you just have the bonding to replace a small chip or gap, then replacing the bonding may not cost you that much. If it is a larger surface, you may not want to replace them repeatedly. Another factor would be whether or not you were wanting to change anything else about your smile. If you’re happy with it, then there is probably no reason to upgrade. But, if you were looking to change the shape, size, or color of your teeth, then a smile makeover with porcelain veneers will take care of both your issues at once.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Will Household Bleach Whiten Teeth?
If I am looking to whiten my teeth but don’t really want to go to the dentist, would using household bleach to rinse around in your mouth whiten them? I’m looking for options to improve my smile but am new to town and haven’t really set up with a dentist yet.
Avelyn
Dear Avelyn,
Bleach, such as Clorox used in laundry, is a base. Another base you may have heard of is Lye. It’s a rather strong corrosive that will destroy living tissue. In fact, dentists often use it in root canal treatments. An active ingredient in bleach, is sodium hypochlorite. This cleanser can be used inside a tooth to get rid of any dead organic material left in a tooth. While it dissolves the organic material, it also cleanses the inside of the tooth, like a disinfectant. This isn’t dentists using cheap-o material. It is actually a process taught in dental school.
If you swish it around in your mouth, then you are going to be damaging any tissue you have in your mouth, including your cheeks and gums. The only safe and effective way to whiten your teeth is with professional teeth whitening.
Second, when bleach comes in contact with certain types of other chemicals, it is a reaction which actually turns it into a deadly gas. You would not want to breathe those vapors in.
I would use this as an opportunity to find your new dentist. You will have to have your teeth thoroughly cleaned before you whiten them anyway. If you don’t do that, then your results will be splotchy.
While you are looking for a dentist, is a good time to assess what type of services you need. The dental world has really grown. While teeth whitening is, technically, a cosmetic procedure, it is the easiest of the cosmetic procedures and pretty much any dentist can do it. However, if you are going to want any of the more advanced procedures, such as porcelain veneers, then you will want a dentist with advanced post-doctoral training in smile makeovers. These are not adequately taught in dental school and a dentist has to invest in training after they graduate to get the training they need.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Luster Premium Home Whitening
My dentist charges quite a bit for teeth whitening. I noticed that I can purchase Luster Premium Home Teeth Whitening from Amazon for a fraction of the cost. Would this work for me? Is it safe?
Jaimie
Dear Jaimie,
When I did a search for this, at first a different product showed up, which was just named Premium Home Whitening. I did some digging until I found the exact one you were asking about. With this product, I think you are dealing with a phony product. They achieve whitening by using zinc oxide, which is actually a pigment more than a whitening ingredient. This will “stain” your teeth whiter, making them look whiter briefly, but it doesn’t whiten your teeth and will not actually whiten your teeth, just paint them.
I have also noticed there is a similarly named product Premium Whitening. This currently sells for $20. While it does have a viable whitening ingredient, there are a few problems with it, all of which stem from the whitening tray they use.
It will not be custom fit to your bite. As a result, it will cause a couple of problems. First, saliva will get in which dilutes the effectiveness of your whitening gel. Second the whitening gel will leak out of the tray, which not only further dilutes the whitening gel but also puts your gums at risk of sensitivity and even a small risk of an infection from the gel.
Looking at this particular tray, I see an additional problem. Instead of having two separate trays, one for each arch of your teeth, this kit has one tray which you have to bite down on in order to keep it in your mouth. This is going to lead to jaw pain. For those with TMJ Disorder, it could be quite painful. Plus, you are not likely to be able to hold it there for very long.
Your safest and most effective option is to have teeth whitening done professionally. You could save up for it or ask your dentist about payment plans.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.