Dr. Mike Malone’s Blog

Will Crest Whitestrips (or any other over-the-counter whitening product) damage my porcelain veneers? I had porcelain veneers placed on my teeth a couple of years ago, and while the veneers still look fantastic my other teeth have yellowed quite a bit. It is pretty noticeable, since I got the veneers to match my then freshly-whitened teeth.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Antonio in Chicago

Dear Antonio,

The only kind of over-the-counter whitening products I would recommend in your case would be Crest Whitestrips, or some other version of that product produced by another manufacturer. The whitening agent, peroxide gel, is held to the teeth by the strips so the can penetrate the tooth structure and whiten the teeth. Be extremely cautious about the product you select–some products have acid that etches the enamel of the teeth, after which you apply a white pigment. These products do give the appearance of a temporary whitening, but will ultimately allow more stains to adhere to the teeth via the damage to the enamel of the teeth.

There is a problem with Whitestrips in your case as well. The strips are designed to cover only the front six teeth, so to use them, you will have to trim the strips themselves. That is quite a lot of messing around, especially when you consider that it may take several applications to get the degree of whiteness you want. By the time you purchase all the kits, you may very well wind up spending as much as you would just getting the professional teeth whitening done at your dentist’s office.

In your shoes, I would likely go to an office to get the the whitening done. In the end, you’ll probably spend about the same amount of money, and you will save quite a lot of time.

I hope this was helpful.

I am in my early 20’s and just recently graduated from college. For almost as long as I can remember, my front teeth have been discolored. I have ALWAYS taken really good care of my teeth (no cavities!), but my mother told me the discoloration was caused by an illness I had as a small child. Now I am trying to get my professional career off the ground, and I feel like my teeth are making an awful first impression.

With the support of my dentist, I have tried almost every over-the-counter teeth whitening product available. If anything, my teeth look WORSE now. The spots did not change in color one bit, but the contrast with the surrounding tooth material (which whitened considerably) is even more noticeable and ugly. Now my dentist is suggesting a “trial” treatment, where he will grind away at the spots until they are gone. The problem is he doesn’t know how much he will have to grind, and I just cannot imagine how this will ever look good!

What about professional whitening? I just really need to get this issue addressed. My teeth are holding me back, and my self-confidence is really taking a beating. I don’t want potential employers to think that I am the type of person who doesn’t even properly care for their teeth!

Thanks so much for your help,

Leta in Albany

Dear Leta,

First and foremost, find a different dentist. Your current dentist obviously does not understand the principles of teeth whitening or he would not have had you wasting your time and money on repeated attempts of the same treatment. Professionally whitening is unlikely to yield the results you want, either. And the idea of grinding away the spots could go horribly wrong.

You need to seek the services of a talented, experienced, educated cosmetic dentist. Make sure you thoroughly check their credentials, and ask to see pictures of their work.

Depending on the severity of the spots, there is a very small chance that a technique called microabrasion might work. This is often used with white spots, but is only effective with brown spots when they are very superficial.

If the spots are small, dental bonding may work to cover them. This is one of the most difficult and artistically demanding skill sets in cosmetic dentistry, so make very sure the dentist you chose is not just competent, but exceptional. If bonding will not work, porcelain veneers may be a solution. Both of these treatments require a high degree of artistry and skill.

I hope you can find the right dentist to help you.