Posted by writeradmin
I have old dental bonding and it is starting to pick up stains. I remember my dentist saying that you could not whiten them once the color was made, but is there a way to get them back to their original color?
Madeline
Dear Madeline,
What your dentist meant by the color would not be able to be changed after it is made has to do with how teeth whitening works. The special peroxide gel used to whiten teeth will only work on natural tooth structures. Because of that, there is no way to use teeth whitening to get your dental bonding back to the original color.
Your only option is to replace it. If it is just a small amount of dental bonding, such as is used to correct a chipped tooth, then it is probably cost-effective to replace it. However, if you are talking about a full smile makeover that you had done with bonding, you may want to consider switching to porcelain veneers.
While initially more expensive they can last for a few decades when well cared for rather than a few years, as bonding does. Like the bonding, the color is permanent, but the veneers are much more stain-resistant and will not pick up stains the way your bonding has. In fact, veneers are more stain-resistant than your natural teeth.
It takes a skilled cosmetic dentist to do both. However, if you were happy with the bonding your dentist did, then you will likely be safe for him or her to do your veneers.
Talk to your dentist and see what they think.
This blog is brought to you by Lafayette, LA Dentist Dr. John Theriot.