Is There Any Way to Whiten Veneers?

I have been placing veneers since the early '80s.Veneers are made of porcelain that never changes color. Many patients over time have complained of darkening veneers. I feel the real problem is the public’s choice for whiter and whiter teeth, Ten years later patients have become frustrated with the color, wanting whiter teeth. Although the veneers have never changed colors.

One of the great things about dental materials today is their color stability. This is also one of the downsides; veneers won't change. Tooth structure beneath veneers can darken over time, and if the veneers are super-thin, the result can be a darker smile. Bleaching the underlying tooth structure can be very challenging, so the most predictable way to improve the smile is to redo the veneers.

The porcelain will not respond to whitening, however you can whiten the underlying tooth. You can use whitening trays or in-office whitening. Your dentist can show you how.

No, veneers cannot be whitened. Your dentist should try to determine why they have got darker, especially if they were fitted recently. Depending on the reason, whitening the underlying tooth may be possibility.

You can't whiten veneers but you may be able to whiten the underlying tooth. Ask your dentist for whitening. Either chairside or take-home whitening will work. If you whiten the underlying tooth then the veneers will look whiter.