Mar
Some patients deal with naturally yellowed and discolored smiles. Others may struggle with tooth discoloration due to habits, medication, or even some of the foods and beverages they enjoy. When patients are having trouble keeping their smile looking great, they may turn to over-the-counter whitening products including whitening strips, gel pens, and trays. However, the results from these products are often minimal, if noticeable at all. This is when patients in the Alpharetta area often visit the team at the Atlanta Center for Dental Health.
Dr. Bradley R. Hepler sees many patients who are interested in professional whitening services. Typically, these men and women have been unable to achieve desirable results with whitening products available in local drugstores and those who are ready to see dramatic changes to their smiles. In some cases, some of these patients may have already had dental work done, including porcelain veneers. It is important for patients to understand that when restorations such as porcelain veneers are present, they might not be considered appropriate candidates for professional whitening services.
Porcelain veneers, along with other restorations such as dental bonding, dental crowns, and dental bridges, are made of ceramics that do not respond to whitening products. Because of this, the natural teeth may whiten but the restorations will not – resulting in an uneven whitening and restorations that now appear discolored.
For patients who are serious about maintaining a whiter smile, Dr. Bradley R. Hepler of the Atlanta Center for Dental Health may suggest replacing restorations with new ones that match the new, brighter smile. Patients will go ahead with their whitening treatments, and after they have achieved the desired results, new restorations such as veneers, bridges, and crowns are fabricated to replace the old ones and keep the smile looking seamlessly beautiful. This is only suggested for patients who are going to maintain their whitened results with our professional, at-home whitening products long after their restorations have been made.