Can You Whiten Lummineers Like You Do Regular Teeth or Do They Have to Be Removed and Replaced for a Whiter Smile?

Question

I have lumineers on my top and bottom teeth 8on top 6 on bottom my question is can they be whiten like regular teeth or do they have to be removed and replaced . I had them for 5 years ??? And it seems as though they have gotten darker ?

Norman Huefner, DDS · Answer

No, you cannot whiten porcelain veneers.  Lumineers are just one type of porcelain veneers. Almost always porcelain veneers are very color stable. 

	Sometimes there is a surface stain that can be polished off to give back the original porcelain color.  If the dentist used a type of cement that discolored over time, that may have caused the darkening.  If the underlying tooth has discolored with age, than that could be what your seeing as well.  If the latter, bleaching from the back side of your teeth might whiten up the underlying tooth color somewhat.  This is because the final color you see is a combination of the color and thickness of the porcelain used in the veneer, the color of the bonding cement used and the color of the underlying tooth.

Peter Mann, DDS · Answer

Hey Rob,

	Unfortunately, dental work such as veneers, lumineers, crowns, bonding, fillings etc... do not whiten.  But they should not change color over time either.  Lumineers are made of porcelain and the porcelain should keep the same color.  I think you should see your dentist to first explore the teeth turning darker. Are the lumineers leaking? Are the teeth under the lumineers turning darker?

Donald L. Wilcox, DDS · Answer

Yes and No!  Porcelain veneers can not be whitened and do not discolor.  Lumineers tend to be very thin so if your underlying teeth are getting darker with time it may be showing through and giving a darker appearance.  In that case bleaching may help lighten the natural tooth remaining and lighten the overall appearance slightly.  Otherwise for a significant color change you probably would have to replace the restorations.

Can You Whiten Lummineers Like You Do Regular Teeth or Do They Have to Be Removed and Replaced for a Whiter Smile?

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Can You Whiten Lummineers Like You Do Regular Teeth or Do They Have to Be Removed and Replaced for a Whiter Smile?

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about Lumineers

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.