Dr. Hall,
Will over the counter bleaching products (Crest whitestrips, etc..) ruin or damage my veneers? Since getting my veneers my other teeth have yellowed and there is now a noticable difference in the color of my veneers and natural teeth. I would like to bleach my teeth to match the veneers, but I don’t want to damage my expensive veneers.
– Vanessa
Vanessa,
Of the over-the-counter whitening products, Crest Whitestrips and imitation products by some other manufacturers, are the only products I would recommend, and only for limited situations. These strips hold the peroxide in a gel that is attached to the strip. When the strip is affixed to the tooth, it allows this peroxide to penetrate the teeth and whiten them.
Other products with rinses and powders, or just toothpastes, are on the teeth too briefly to penetrate and do any good. Some of them have acids like citric acid in them that etches the surface of the tooth slightly, and then this etched, roughened surface picks up the white pigment that you follow with. I have tested some of those products, and they do damage the teeth. They make them temporarily whiter, but then within a few days they relapse to being even darker than they were before, because the enamel has been roughened and now picks up more stain.
The WhiteStrips have a disadvantage in your case in that they are designed to cover only the front six teeth. However, you don’t want the very front veneered teeth covered – you want to cover the teeth that are further back. There might be a way you could cut them and get them to apply to the correct teeth, but that’s a lot of monkey business to have to go through. And the whitening with the WhiteStrips goes very slowly, because the peroxide bleach in them has to be fairly weak in order to be sold over the counter. And the Whitestrips kits are expensive, and could end up costing more than if you did this in a dentist’s office.
If it were me, I would go to a dentist and get your teeth bleaching done right. Dentists use a much more powerful version of peroxide and it will cover the right teeth. Some offices even offer free or greatly discounted bleaching to new patients. I don’t advocate shopping for deals for cosmetic dentistry, but basic bleaching is simple enough that it’s hard for a dentist to screw up, so there I might price-shopping. But absolutely don’t price shop for fillings, porcelain veneers, dental implants, or any involved treatments.
I hope this is helpful.
The bleach will not harm the veneers. They won’t change color. There will be a slight lightening of your veneered teeth, but since that will come from behind the tooth, it won’t have a noticeable affect on how they appear from the front.
Dr. Hall
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About David A. Hall
Dr. David A. Hall was one of the first 40 accredited cosmetic dentists in the world. He practiced cosmetic dentistry in Iowa, and in 1990 earned his accreditation with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He is now president of Infinity Dental Web, a company in Mesa, Arizona that does advanced internet marketing for dentists.
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