Cosmetic dentistry information for everyone.

I’m hoping you can help me. I have two teeth darker than my other teeth. One has bonding on it and the other one a dental crown. How can I get them whiter?

Sarah D. - Idaho Falls

Sarah,

There are two very important things to know about tooth whitening: First, it whitens evenly. That means if your teeth were uneven in color before you whitened them, they will be equally and more noticeably uneven afterward. Secondly, no dental materials, such as crowns, veneers, or bonding can be whitened. What color they are when they are placed is the color they will remain.

You do have options though. If it is only those two teeth you are worried about, and are otherwise satisfied with the color of your teeth, you could just have your dental bonding and your crown re-done. I recommend getting an all porcelain crown. They’ll be much more aesthetically pleasing.

If, however, you’d like all your teeth whitened, I would do the teeth whitening on all your teeth first, then get the new bonding and crown done to match the whiter color.

Good luck to you!

This blog is brought to you by New Jersey Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

I received Lumineers on six of my upper teeth. I didn’t do anything to my lower teeth and now I want to whiten them. Will that damage my Lumineers?

Thanks in advance.

Gena B.- Staten Island

Gena,

If you just want to do teeth whitening on your lower teeth, then there is no problem at all. What you bleach on your lower arch won’t affect the upper arch. Hopefully your dentist had you get your Lumineers to the level of whiteness you want all your teeth to be, because there is no way to change the color once they are bonded on. That will be your permanent color.

This blog is sponsored by New Jersey Cosmetic dentist Dr. Allyson Hurley.

Dear Dr. Hurley,

Can you tell me if medical insurance covers treatment for tetracycline damage to my teeth? My teeth are very sensitive and weak. I am afraid of biting into things, because I’ve chipped my front teeth before. Since my teeth were damaged from tetracycline for treatment for infections and asthma as a child, I’m hoping insurance will cover this. Can you please advise me on this?

Sharon from San Diego

Dear Sharon,

It would seem practical that medical insurance would cover treating the side effects of a medical treatment like tetracycline teeth stains. Unfortunately, the medical policies normally exclude dental work though. I have yet to hear of a case of medical insurance helping to pay for the treatment of tetracycline teeth stains.

You should contact your insurance company to find out exactly what is covered on your plan.

Learn more about teeth whitening and how to treat tetracycline stains here on my website.

When I was a baby I was given medicine that caused a gray discoloration to my teeth. My dentist applied bonding to fix this issue, but now it’s chipping and dulling. Is there any type of whitener that I can use? I just can’t afford veneers right now.

- Pam from Tulsa

Dear Pam,

This discoloration is from tetracycline. When children are given tetracycline around the age of 12, when the adult teeth are forming, it will build up in the dentin. This is what causes the gray or dark brown stains, known as tetracycline stains. And the deeper the tetracycline penetrates the teeth, the darker the stains become.

Be sure to carefully select the right dentist for treating these stains. You’ll want to look for a dentist who has cosmetic dentistry experience, and who knows how to mask tetracycline stains.

Porcelain veneers are the most effective method, but if this is not in your budget, then your existing dental bonding may work. Here are your two best options:

1. As long as the bonding was applied over your intact enamel, then your dentist can remove the bonding with sandpaper disks. Many states allow dental hygienists to perform this procedure, so you may want to check into this to help save you money. After the bonding has been removed, start using a home tooth whitening system. You’ll need to use the strongest bleaching gel that you can endure, so you will need to get this from your dentist. Then, apply the bleaching gel every night for at least two months. Your teeth won’t look as nice compared to having porcelain veneers but by whitening them you will improve their appearance. Make sure to avoid any over-the-counter whitening systems, because the gel won’t be strong enough to work on tetracycline stains.

In office treatments such as, Zoom whitening, KöR whitening, or laser tooth whitening are much stronger and quicker bleaching techniques, but they can be quite costly if money is tight for you. These whitening procedures require many visits to the dentist.

2. If you find that some of your enamel has been removed before the bonding was applied, then you should set aside some money and have a cosmetic dentist place eight to ten porcelain veneers on your teeth. For now, get a dental professional to smooth out the existing bonding on your teeth. Porcelain veneers will cost you roughly 10% to twice the amount of having dental bonding done, but it will last much longer and look great the entire time.

Best of luck to you!