If you're looking to brighten your smile, but you're not sure which method is right for you, you've come to the perfect place. This page clarifies who should undergo simple teeth whitening (using a bleaching gel) and who should receive dental veneers (porcelain coverings placed over the teeth).
If you're completely unfamiliar with veneers, first take a stop over at our porcelain veneers page, then return here to decide whether whitening or veneers are your best option.
Different Solutions for Different Problems
Put in the simplest way possible, there are two cases in which discolored teeth would benefit from veneers more than from simple whitening.
- When the teeth staining is due to discoloration deep inside the teeth
- When the teeth's problems go beyond simple discoloration
In the first case, in which yellow, black or brown coloration originates from inside the tooth (beneath the enamel), simple whitening will not solve your problem.
In the second case, whitening may in fact result in a perfectly white smile, but you will still be left with bothersome imperfections ﾖ many of which are actually more noticeable once your teeth become white. Common problems include a visible chipped tooth, uneven teeth, a gap, crooked teeth. You can whitening these teeth all you want, but you will remain unhappy with your smile.
The last thing you want do is spend the time and money for a professional teeth bleaching, and then still feel your teeth are unattractive, after which you decide to get veneers. Getting veneers up front would save you hundreds of dollars.
The Cost Debate
The whitening-vs- veneer cost argument can be misleading. You might initially assume that teeth whitening is easily the cheaper option, since the placement of veneers is a more extensive procedure. And it is true that veneers are substantially more expensive than a one-time whitening procedure.
But if you take a long-term view, the prices actually start to level out: well-done veneers can give you a perfectly white smile for up to 15 years. Little (if any) maintenance is needed, they remain white, and the initial costs you incurred getting them done will be all you need during this time. Add to this the fact, mentioned above, that veneers can solve tooth problems that go beyond mere discoloration.
Whitening, on the other hand, may solve your problem for several years. But if you practice poor oral hygiene ﾖ such as continued consumption of wine, sodas, tobacco, so on ﾖ you will be due for another whitening procedure in a matter of years.
The following chart will give you a better idea of which types of discoloration-related tooth problems are best improved by whitening vs. veneers.
Discoloration-related conditions that may or may not be solved by whitening vs. veneers:
| Condition | Whitening | Veneers |
| ﾠ | ﾠ | ﾠ |
| Teeth stained by tobacco | Y | Y |
| Teeth stained by coffee/tea | Y | Y |
| Teeth stained by fluorosis | N | Y |
| Age-related staining | Y | Y |
| Teeth that have been dark since childhood | N | Y |
| Teeth darkened by trauma | N | Y |
| Teeth darkened by root decay | N | Y |
| Stained teeth with extensive gum recession | N | Y |
| Gapped teeth | N | Y |
| Crooked teeth | N | Y |
| ﾠ | ﾠ | ﾠ |
| ﾠ | ﾠ | ﾠ |
Find a dentist in your area, or read more about the causes of teeth discoloration and types of teeth whitening procedures.
