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.
Mouthwash for Porcelain Veneers
I have some porcelain veneers that I really love. I want to take the best care of them that I can. I’ve made a homemade mouth wash and just want to make sure there is nothing in it that can hurt the veneers.
My recipe is essentially equal parts of filtered water and hydrogen peroxide and some sea salt. As an example, last night I mixed:
4 oz. filtered water
4 oz. 3% hydrogen peroxide
1 T. sea salt
Will this work for me?
Karen
Dear Karen,
I am glad you love your porcelain veneers. There are many patients that end up with a cosmetic dentistry horror story because their dentist did not have the artistic ability to create a beautiful smile. Thankfully, yours did. It is also commendable that you are tying your best to take care of them. Though, I wish your dentist would have given you a list of instructions to do this.
The only problem with your DIY mouthwash is the peroxide. While peroxide is great at killing bacteria, it does not distinguish between good and bad bacteria. The good news is that your mouthwash will not damage your porcelain veneers. Unfortunately, what it will do is create an environment to that will breed candida albicans, a type of yeast. As a result, you will end up with some nasty thrush.
If you really want to use a mouthwash, there are some good over-the-counter mouthwashes. The one thing that you want to avoid is a mouthwash that contains alcohol. This is because it will eventually wear out the bonding that holds your porcelain veneers in place.
While we are on the topic of taking care of your porcelain veneers, I want to suggest you use Supersmile toothpaste. This is specifically designed to safely care for cosmetic dental work and keep them stain free. This includes things like porcelain crowns and dental bonding.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.
Teeth Whitening and Dental Bonding
I have a chipped tooth due to the concrete and I having a disagreement. The concrete won. I figured that while I am fixing the chip in my tooth I should also whiten my teeth. Is there any special procedure or rules I need to follow in order to get both of these done?
Andy
Dear Andy,
Sorry about your battle with the concrete. Having dental bonding done is a fantastic solution for a chipped tooth as long as you go to an artistic dentist who has experience as well as post-doctoral training in the procedure. This is quite an advanced procedure, because it has to be done freehand.
You asked a very important question about the procedures and rules. When it comes to dental bonding with teeth whitening, it is imperative that you have the teeth whitening done first. The reason for this is the nature of the whitening gel. While it does wonders for natural tooth structure, it will have zero impact and the bonding itself. That means your teeth will whiten, but the bonding will stay the original color with which it was designed.
If you have your teeth whitened first, then the dental bonding can be formed to match the new color exactly. While bonding requires an expert cosmetic dentist, teeth whitening is a pretty basic cosmetic procedure and can be done by any dentist who offers it. The next question is how fast do you want to get this done.
At home teeth whitening can take several weeks to months, depending on how long you whiten each day along with how white you want your teeth. If you are in a hurry, then I recommend in-office Zoom Whitening. This can be done in one appointment. However, you will want to leave one week between the time of your whitening and when you have the bonding done. This is because the teeth will continue to whiten for a bit after the appointment is done. This is true with at home whitening as well.
Then, when that is completed you can see the cosmetic dentist for your dental bonding.
This blog is brought to you by Moline Dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel.