bleaching teeth Archives - Coleman Dental

How can I ensure avoiding a teeth whitening disaster (a la Ross from Friends)?

September 9, 2021 by Brian Sartin

How can I ensure avoiding a teeth whitening disaster (a la Ross from Friends)?

-Becca in North Dakota

Becca,

Teeth whitening can be a smile brightening, pleasant experience. There are some questions you can ask before making an appointment so you don’t get the glow in the dark, blinding “Ross” look, or end up spending money getting no results at all.

First, you want to know how strong is the bleach that’s being used? The ADA recommends a 10% peroxide solution to be used in an in-home bleaching kit, and a 15-35% peroxide solution for in office bleaching such as Zoom whitening, or other chair side products. You also need to be aware of who’s administering the bleaching. Teeth bleaching should be done by a trained professional only. Certain med spas, and stands at the mall may want to be passed over when looking to have such a delicate procedure done, which is best handled by a trained dentist. Delivering a highly potent agent requires medical oversight, thus decreasing risks for over-bleaching which can cause gum irritation and tooth sensitivity. Also, a trained dentist can oversee the process making sure no other dental therapies are needed due to tooth discoloration (natural teeth vs. caps/porcelain veneers). If only Ross was more proactive when he decided to Zoom his teeth!

This post is sponsored by Houston cosmetic dentist Coleman Dental.

I was told I’m not a porcelain veneers candidate. Is that true?

August 28, 2021 by Brian Sartin

I am so disappointed to hear my cosmetic dentist tell me I’m not a candidate for porcelain veneers. He blamed it on my overbite because my top teeth come down over my bottom teeth when me mouth is closed. So, his solution is six porcelain crowns on my top teeth. He also mentioned that crowns were the way to go because of tetracycline stains on my front teeth. Does this sounds like an appropriate treatment plan? I really was hoping to get porcelain veneers because I don’t want to have my front teeth all shaved down to stubs, unless it’s the only way to fix my smile. Also, can my bottom teeth be whitened to match the top ones after the cosmetic dentistry is complete?

Please let me know your thoughts?

Thanks,

Tami in Nevada

Tami,

It’s a good thing you reached out. Your intuition is right. You don’t want crowns on all your teeth because there are other options where you don’t have to have them ground down. And the overbite concern the dentist provided is also inaccurate. Porcelain veneers are applied to the front of the teeth, so no work needs to be done on the back of the front teeth. For individuals with an overbite, porcelain veneers are the better choice.

Here is what is likely happening. Not every dentist is experienced in doing cosmetic dentistry. It actually takes extensive training beyond dental school. It sounds like porcelain crowns are within your dentist’s comfort zone and porcelain veneers are not. So, first of all, you never want to push a dentist out of their comfort zone. But your overbite is not an issue that should exclude you from porcelain veneers.

Also, not every dentist is experienced in treating tetracycline stains. This kind of stains requires an expert cosmetic dentist. t sounds like it’s time to find an excellent cosmetic dentist in your area. You can still see your general dentist for routine exams, cleaning and maintenance. If you can find a cosmetic dentist that is accredited with the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) that would be a great starting point.

Then, during the consultation, listen to their recommendations. Find out about their training and experience, specifically with tetracycline cases and an overbite. Porcelain veneers can be used to successfully treat your case, but ask to see before and after photos of cases similar to yours.

In regard to whitening your lower teeth, it takes a powerful formulation of teeth whitening agents to treat tetracycline stains. Kor whitening may be the best choice to address that. But an excellent cosmetic dentist will be able to present you with all the options and will absolutely be able to match the new porcelain veneers to your bottom teeth.

A beautiful smile can be yours, when you find the right cosmetic dentist. Thank you for your question. Hopefully, this was helpful.

I ruined my dental bonding!

August 17, 2021 by Brian Sartin

Shelli in Nevada Wrote:

I’m so upset that I ruined my dental bonding. My friend gave me a teeth whitening kit she got for free. I was excited because I have been noticing that my teeth have been looking pretty dingy lately. Well, I jumped in and did the whitening right away. I was careful to read all the instructions and follow them exactly.

But, I must have done something wrong. Or, maybe the kit was defective. I had tooth bonding done awhile ago and those teeth look really weird now. The whitening made them look worse than before I whitened them. Is there any way to get this fixed? I look silly!

(ANSWER BELOW)

Shelli,
I’m sorry to hear that your dental bonding appears to be discolored. Unfortunately, tooth bonding cannot be whitened. So, the reason the dental bonding work is standing out now, is because the surrounding teeth are lighter. But, the bonding has remained the same color. This gives the illusion that the bonding has been discolored But, teeth bleaching agents only work on living teeth. They are not effective on cosmetic dentistry.

Anytime you are interested in getting your teeth whitened, it’s always a good idea to work with your dentist. First, they will give you an exam to see if you’re a good candidate. At that point, they would have discovered that you have existing dental bonding. Now, you can still have your teeth whitened with bonding. But, you would have been informed that the bonding would not be lightened. The dentist would have been able to better manage your expectations and help control the whitening of the surrounding teeth.

At this point, the only solution will be to have the dental bonding redone. It can then be matched to your newly whitened teeth. The new dental bonding material can be matched so it looks natural and blends in. However, it would be wise to see a cosmetic dentist at this point. They can help determine that everything looks good with the recent whitening. Also, he or she may be able to recommend a more aggressive teeth bleaching treatment. So, be sure to get into a cosmetic dentist and hearing their recommendations before the bonding is replaced.

Thank you for your question.