Teeth Whitening Or Veneers?

By Author: Miguel Casanas
Total Articles: 54
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In my work as a dentist, patients often want me to brighten and whiten their smiles. That said, they don’t always know the method they’d like me to use. Most choose between teeth whitening and veneers, though they do so without a sense of the better option. Now, however, I’ve decided to help those mulling over these two procedures. So, here’s a summary of how teeth whitening and veneers differ, as well as how to assess which is right for you.

What’s Teeth Whitening?
As you might expect, teeth whitening directly whitens your smile. It uses a special gel to remove tooth stains, producing enamel that’s six to eight shades whiter.

Most dental practices offer two kinds of whitening: in-office whitening and take-home bleaching kits. The in-office option involves a one-hour dental visit, while the kit requires that you wear special trays for roughly two weeks. Despite these differing timelines, though, both methods offer similar results. Even better, neither one causes any pain.

What Are Veneers?
In contrast to gel, veneers are porcelain shells bonded to the fronts of teeth. Their main use ...
... is to hide a wide range of smile flaws – stains, chips, cracks, fractures, and more. Notably, this treatment is only used on the frontmost teeth; molars aren’t visible in a grin, so they’re typically left out.

Veneers work so well due to being highly customized. Labs make them match your surrounding teeth in color, size, and shape. As a result, they blend seamlessly with the rest of your smile.

Which One is Right for You?
When deciding on whitening or veneers, I’d encourage you to consider three key factors. Listed below, they are the following:

• Treatment Function – Keep in mind that whitening is best for extrinsic stains, the kind caused by foods and drinks. Meanwhile, veneers can cover up intrinsic ones that bleaching gel can’t handle. Plus, the porcelain shells can also address other dental issues, including chips, gaps, or even misalignment.
• Treatment Process – No matter the method, teeth whitening is the speedier treatment. It also doesn’t alter your tooth structure. Veneer placement, however, requires two dental visits several weeks (or more) apart. Furthermore, it removes bits of enamel so the prosthetics can fit over your teeth.
• Treatment Lifespan– Many patients like that whitening’s results are near-instant, but the effects don’t last too long. At most, they persist for about six months to three years. In contrast, veneers can last for fifteen to even 30 years with proper care.

Besides reviewing the factors above, make sure to consult your local dentist. Whether it’s me or someone else, a dental professional will know your situation and thus the option best for you.