Did I ruin my porcelain veneers?

Several years have passed and I felt like my veneers have lost their luster. So I used some at home teeth whitening strips to freshen them up. That was a mistake! My front teeth are a totally different color now. Can anything be done? My fingers and toes are crossed that I didn’t blow it.

– Andrea in Washington

Andrea,

That is a bummer! It goes without saying now but teeth whitening on porcelain veneers will not work. It is likely that the surrounding non-veneered teeth have been whitened and the porcelain veneers retained their color. Or the glaze may have been compromised and caused uneven color on the veneers. That is why they look different.

Regular professional maintenance and care is the only way to keep porcelain veneers looking their best. This needs to be done at the dentist office where they will buff and polish them. At home, they need to be taken care of with a non-abrasive toothpaste that does not contain a whitening agent.

Porcelain veneers are highly resistant to stains, but that doesn’t mean they may pick up some discoloration from coffee, tea, stains, and berries. At this point, you need to get into the cosmetic dentist so the discoloration can be buffed out. Unfortunately, if progress isn’t made from a trip to the dentist, you may be looking at replacing the porcelain veneers.

Thanks for sharing your story. Hopefully it deters others from trying over-the-counter whitening products.

This post is sponsored by Lexington cosmetic dentist Hamburg Expressions.