Can I Whiten Discoloration Between My Porcelain Veneers?
For some patients who receive porcelain veneers, staining can occur at the margins of the veneers, causing the appearance of discoloration between the teeth. This may happen for a couple of different reasons—either microleakage of bonding material used to cement the veneers to the front of teeth or visible tooth material along the border of the veneers. New York City cosmetic dentist Michael Kosdon, DDS advises individuals who experience staining not to use at-home bleaching kits or abrasive toothpastes to try to whiten discoloration, as these products will be ineffective and may cause damage to the veneers. Even professional teeth whitening systems are not usually able to achieve complete stain removal in these cases. He does, however, recommend scheduling an appointment with a skilled dental hygienist who can use a specialized polishing paste to remove stains. After polishing, it is important to maintain good daily dental hygiene by brushing and flossing twice a day (REACH® makes a whitening floss that Dr. Kosdon recommends). Revisiting the hygienist every three months for polishing can prevent recurrence of stain build-up and keep your veneers looking new.
If you are considering porcelain veneers and are concerned about developing cosmetic issues like these, it is important to choose the right cosmetic dentist to perform your veneers procedure. A highly skilled and experienced cosmetic dentist, like Dr. Kosdon, plans each porcelain veneers treatment very carefully to prevent issues with discolored margins from ever developing. Also, he uses only the highest-quality ceramic materials, which are stain-resistant, to craft his patients’ custom veneers. When a cosmetic dentist places lower-quality, no/minimal prep veneers (like Lumineers® or composite resin veneers), uses too much bonding material, or does not design the veneer to conceal the sides of the tooth, patients may be at risk for developing undesirable cosmetic concerns. Make sure you only trust your smile to an experienced and credentialed dentist who has a positive track record for creating natural-looking, long-lasting results.
For answers to your important questions about porcelain veneers, we encourage you to contact our practice and schedule a consultation with Dr. Kosdon.
Editor’s note: The original version of this post was published on May 2, 2018.
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