Why would I need veneers, Invisalign, and teeth whitening?

Posted by AllSmiles

I moved to the area in 2019, and I have seen two dentists. Neither of them impressed me enough to become a regular patient. In January, I received a postcard from a dentist whose office is between my job and home. I gave her a try because I am interested in porcelain veneers. She talked briefly about veneers but said she would first whiten my teeth with Zoom, recommend Invisalign, and finally finish my teeth off with veneers. I did not ask for teeth whitening or Invisalign. Then she said something about reducing the cost by $500 if I agreed to all the services. Are all those treatments necessary? Porcelain veneers alone cost enough! Or are dentists selling package deals now? I feel like I should be disgusted about an attempt to upsell and trick me. – Thank you. Teal from Ohio

Teal,

Thank you for your inquiry. We understand why you feel that your dental visit was cluttered with sales talk.

Teeth Whitening Before Veneers

A cosmetic dentist might recommend bleaching your teeth before placing veneers for these reasons:

• Porcelain is colorfast – It is impossible to whiten porcelain veneers, so whitening must be completed first if you want to brighten your smile.
• A ceramist makes veneers match your tooth color – A cosmetic dentist takes pictures of your teeth and gives a ceramist instructions to create veneers that match your tooth shade. If you whiten your teeth after receiving your veneers, your teeth will be whiter than the veneers.

Bleaching is not a requirement – But whitening your teeth with Zoom or any other whitening system is not required to receive veneers, and neither is Invisalign a requirement.

Invisalign, Porcelain Veneers, or Both?

Depending on the alignment of your teeth, orthodontic treatment may provide better results than porcelain veneers, but you did not mention why your dentist recommends Invisalign. Cosmetic dentists often use porcelain veneers to make slightly crooked teeth look perfectly straight. And they do it without Invisalign.

Schedule a Cosmetic Dentistry Consultation

Without Dr. Goebel examining your teeth, we will not speculate about the reasons for the dentist’s recommendations. So we suggest that you schedule a consultation with a dentist who has advanced cosmetic dentistry training. Talk with the dentist about each issue that concerns you. He or she will explain your treatment options and the results you can expect. No dentist should pressure you to receive treatment of any kind.

Thomas J. Goebel, DDS of Moline, IL, sponsors this post.