I’m really looking forward to fixing my smile, as I’ve put a lot of thought into it, and did my research on cosmetic dentists. In addition to getting four porcelain veneers placed on my top front teeth, I am also bleaching, in office and at home. My dentist suggests waiting until after I finish bleaching until I get my veneers done. He says it’s the best way to match the color of teeth up. While I understand, I cannot imagine waiting a few more months to start my veneers, as I’ve been waiting forever. I want to get my porcelain veneers started right away, and bleach later on. Isn’t it possible the colors of the veneers will match the teeth or be so close you can hardly notice the difference? Couldn’t the doctor anticipate the outcome of bleaching and move forward accordingly?

– Tanya in California

Tanya,

No, no cosmetic dentist no matter how knowledgeable they may be can accurately anticipate the exact shade of your teeth post whitening. Especially since you’re doing a vigorous teeth whitening regimen such as in office and take home trays. I’m sure the doctor explained his reasoning for holding off on the porcelain veneers until you’ve reached your desired shade when bleaching. The veneers are lab made; in the process the doctor specifically requests a color of porcelain that will match best to the rest of your natural teeth. How could you possibly know what shade to select in the process if your teeth are in the process of being whitened? Since porcelain veneers take a while to be manufactured, the time from selecting the shade to send to the lab and placing the finished product can be quite a few weeks to a month or more. With that time frame, your bleached teeth will likely change shades. With the money you plan on spending on cosmetic dentistry work you might as well do it right. Just being a tad patient about getting your veneers done can allow you to accomplish all your cosmetic needs and have a beautiful result.

On a side note, many excellent cosmetic dentist will offer a beautiful smile guarantee. If you follow their steps, they guarantee you will love your new smile. This also means you will have several opportunities to see exactly what it will look like before it is permanently bonded. Ask your dentist more to see what kind of policy he has. But definitely heed the advice and wait before spending all that money on your new veneers.