Whitening

Dental Veneers vs. Teeth Whitening: Pros and Cons

Are you dissatisfied with your smile? Did you once love your bright white smile but now cringe when you see your dull or stained teeth?

As we age, our teeth naturally discolor, whether from smoking, the buildup of the foods we eat or the liquids we drink, or from a thinning of the enamel over time.

Changing the color of your teeth can take years off of your appearance. With that desire in mind, you may be looking at utilizing professional teeth whitening, or you may be interested in taking it a step further and getting dental veneers.

Both dental veneers and professional teeth whitening can change your smile for the better, but do you know which one you should choose? Both can lighten your teeth by many shades of white, and both can appear and feel like your natural teeth; however, there are some things to keep in mind.

Teeth whitening pros:

• Easy and fast – you’ll see a difference after only one appointment
• Gentle and safe for teeth – your natural teeth are not permanently altered

Teeth whitening cons:

• Not a permanent lightening – you’ll have to repeat the procedure over time
• Not a fix for any tooth imperfections – only the color will change, not the shape or length of the tooth or chips or cracks

Dental veneer pros:

• Extremely stain-resistant – the materials used for dental veneers won’t discolor or stain
• Can correct gaps and shape issues – dental veneers can correct crooked or gapped teeth by changing the size, shape, length and more of your tooth

Dental veneer cons:

• Alters your natural tooth permanently – because dental veneers must be applied after a tooth has been shaped or shaved down, some of your tooth’s enamel is permanently removed to accommodate the veneer
• Can pop off, break or necessitate replacement – dental veneers may dislodge or have issues with placement that require replacement by a dentist

Before you make a decision regarding your smile, talk to Sarasota cosmetic dentist Dr. Back and get all the information you need to make the decision that’s right for you and your smile.

The greater the concentration of the whitening agent and the longer the duration the product is used, the higher the likelihood of side effects. These effects can occur during or immediately following the bleaching treatment and should abate within two to three days.

Fillings, crowns or other dental restorations will not whiten in the same way that your natural teeth will. Teeth that are whitened inexpertly may be blotchy and produce an overall negative aesthetic that is worse than the original stained teeth.

Sometimes our natural teeth are so darkly stained that they cannot be whitened completely. Some stains are caused by medications such as tetracycline and cannot be altered by whitening. These teeth may require a cosmetic dentistry procedure such as dental veneers.

It is possible to whiten your teeth too much. The superbright white color looks artificial and can look blue. Overuse can also lead to the degradation and erosion of your enamel, a process that cannot be reversed and can lead to tooth decay or gum disease.
Visit your dentist for an exam to determine if teeth whitening is safe for you. Use only products your dentist feels are safe, and use them only for their recommended periods of time. Don’t overuse any whitening product, and follow all of the instructions. The best, safest, most effective teeth whitening is found in your dentist’s office. Talk to your dentist today to see what whitening options are available to you.