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Those planning to improve the appearance of their smiles often face the following quandary: should they choose a teeth-whitening treatment or pay more for porcelain veneers?
If you are considering either of these two procedures, a third option may be more economical than a complete set of dental veneers and more comprehensive than teeth whitening.
By combining professional teeth-whitening with porcelain veneers, you can address concerns that may be difficult to address with teeth whitening alone.
When to Combine Teeth-Whitening and Porcelain Veneers
Surface (extrinsic) stains respond exceptionally well to professional teeth-whitening but deep, set-in (intrinsic) discoloration is harder to treat this way.
Porcelain veneers are often the best choice to address permanent stains. They also offer other benefits.
Porcelain dental veneers can transform a smile with the following issues:
- Chipped teeth
- Misaligned teeth
- Gaps in teeth
- Twisted teeth
- Misshapen teeth
- Small, worn-down teeth
- Intrinsic dental stains
If most or all of your teeth have deep, whitening-resistant discoloration due to illness, injury, medications, or genetics, you’ll likely need a full set of porcelain veneers.
However, if your dental stains are due to tartar, nicotine, or consuming highly pigmented beverages and foods, with only a few teeth permanently discolored or otherwise damaged, combining veneers with professional whitening can be an effective and cost-saving alternative.
How to Combine Teeth-Whitening With Porcelain Veneers
During your consultation, the dentist will create a treatment plan that includes which teeth can benefit from whitening and which require porcelain veneers.
This approach calls for professional teeth whitening to treat most of your teeth and porcelain veneers for those with structural damage or permanent discoloration. It is designed to save you money while still producing excellent results.
How the Teeth Whitening/Porcelain Veneer Combination Treatment Works
You will need a professional dental cleaning before beginning this combination procedure, after which you can expect to visit the dentist twice to complete your treatment.
First Visit
Professional Teeth-Whitening
During your first appointment, the dentist will typically whiten your teeth and remove a small amount of enamel from the surface of those receiving veneers to ensure a tight bond with your restorations.
There are several in-office techniques used in professional teeth whitening, but most involve the dentist coating each tooth with a professional strength whitening formula, waiting about 15 minutes, and repeating this step up to four times for your desired shade.
Chicago Dental Arts offers two professional teeth whitening options:
- Zoom! Teeth Whitening
- BIOLASE Laser System
Porcelain Veneers
Once the teeth have been professionally whitened and color-matched, your dentist will obtain a precise dental impression which is sent to the lab for the fabrication of your custom porcelain veneers.
Second Visit
On your second visit, the color-matched veneers are placed on the prepared teeth to complete your smile transformation.
Before leaving, your dentist will ask you to bite down on dental paper to check your alignment, ask how the veneers feel, and make any necessary adjustments.
Because porcelain veneers are thin, they can blend in seamlessly when placed next to a natural, color-matched, and whitened tooth to deliver your new stunning smile.
Find Combo Teeth Whitening & Porcelain Veneers in Chicago, IL
If you live in or near Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Vladimir Fedin provides combination teeth whitening treatment and porcelain veneers here at Chicago Dental Arts. We invite you to call our cosmetic dental office at (312) 642-6631 to learn more or schedule your procedure.
