I have stains on my teeth from medicine I took as a child. My dentist said because of that I’ll need to get porcelain veneers. That my teeth are too dark for teeth whitening. Porcelain veneers are much more expensive than teeth whitening. I am tired of my dark teeth, but is that really my only option?
Nicole K. – Detroit, MI
Nicole,
I suspect you have stains from tetracycline. They do tend to make the teeth so dark that it is hard to repair them. I am suspect of your dentist’s advice though. As difficult it is to get your teeth to whiten with tetracycline stains, it is more difficult to get them to look natural with porcelain veneers.
If you don’t want to spend that much money, I would ask him to try the teeth whitening first. Some dentists have had remarkable success, experimenting with different brands and systems.
Because of the depth of the stains a cosmetic dentist has to strike a delicate balance. You need them to be opaque enough to cover the stains, but not so opaque that they lose the translucent look of natural teeth.
I’d have to be confident that your dentist was an expert in the cosmetic field. He would need significant post-graduate training in porcelain veneers with a great eye for artistry. Ask him how many tetracycline cases he has done and ask to see the results.
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