When you elect to undergo a whitening treatment, your desire is (presumably) to enjoy a whiter, more attractive smile. With a single treatment at your dentist’s office, or a sequence of treatments you perform at home, you can recover your smile’s former glory by making it many shades brighter than before. Unfortunately, some people experience the sort of discoloration that whitening treatments are not meant to address. If you have what is known as intrinsic discoloration, another cosmetic dental treatment can help. These alternative treatments also offer the added benefits of addressing any other problems with your teeth, like congenital flaws, or damages.
Questions:
True Or False: A dental whitening treatment can improve the color of your natural teeth, but it also helps improve the color of dental crowns and cosmetic dental work.
True Or False: Stains in your enamel are considered extrinsic discoloration; a whitening treatment can break up these stains.
True Or False: Porcelain veneers can make your teeth look whiter. They also cover physical dental damage.
Answers:
False! Unfortunately, whitening agents will not help with stains that settle in your existing dental work. If you are bothered by discoloration on a restoration, or on cosmetic work, talk to your dentist.
True! Extrinsic stains are stains that occur due to external sources. The whitening agents provided by your dentist are intended to address the problem of accumulated stains.
True! Porcelain veneers are popular because they can make such dramatic changes to your teeth – their color and shape can see real improvement. They are also designed for durability, and will last for an extensive period.
