Can whitening make teeth more translucent?

Question

Years ago I tried white strips - after 1 strip the bottom 1/3 of my front teeth became so see-thru they looked grey. I let my teeth stain so this would be less noticeable - now my teeth are yellow. I do have chronic GERD/acid on my enamel. I want to whiten again. I've read it doesn't damage enamel yet also read that increased teeth translucency can possibly be from a poor bite or over-bleaching. After bleaching, is this inc translucency usually temporary? Or does it, in fact, thin your enamel?

Steven Davidowitz, DDS · Answer

The outer perimeter of ones teeth have no underlying inner tooth structure (dentin).  Depending on the enamel this layer can have a natural translucency.  If this layer of translucency is evident prior to whitening then it will become more obvious after whitening.  It is not,however, thinning your enamel just brightening it.  The yellow look of the teeth should whiten nicely with teeth whitening and should blend in nicely with the layer of translucency.  I always tell my patients to Try not to look at the part of the tooth that is more translucent after a whitening procedure but instead look at the over all smile results.  Dissecting a tooth by areas and levels of each tooth in the smile will never show an "even" texture, shade or translucent after whitening.  The only way to get a white monochromatic (solid shade) on all teeth in your smile is with the use of porcelain veneers or crowns.

Peter Boulden, DMD, FAGD · Answer

WHitening does NOT thin your teeth.   It does remove stain though (oxidize stain).   Pure enamel (like a the tip of a front tooth) looks like a sheet of frosted glass in varying thicknesses.   So if the enamel has been thinned out there - you could have a lot more translucency

Neville Richter, DDS · Answer

Your enamel is thinned out because of your Gerd. And you may have slightly gray dentin underneath the enamel.

Can whitening make teeth more translucent?

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