I had dental bonding done just a little over a year ago. I really thought that it would last longer, but recently it has been looking rather stained. Is there a way to whiten them?
David
Dear David,
In general, dental bonding should last a few years. I am curious about the timing of the stains. Is it possible that you recently had a dental cleaning and checkup? If so, I would ask if your hygienist used something like a power prophy jet or acidulated fluoride. Those type of treatments will damage the glazing on your bonding, thereby causing them to pick up stains. The upside to that is they are responsible for the damage and will have to repair it.
Unfortunately, teeth whitening will not be a viable solution in this circumstance. The only thing whitening will effect is natural tooth structure. It has no impact on any form of dental work. The only way to replace the color of damaged dental bonding is to replace the bonding.
If the damage wasn’t done by the cleaning, then you have a couple of options. The first is to simply replace the bonding. The second is to get something, such as porcelain veneers, which will last longer than the dental bonding. They are more expensive, but you can expect them to last a minimum of ten years if they are well cared for.
Like the bonding, you don’t want a hygienist using the material I mentioned earlier on them. If you go to a practice that does a significant amount of cosmetic work, the staff should all be aware of this. However, if they don’t, I would make sure you let them know before your appointment.
This blog is brought to you by Des Moines Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Phelan Thomas. An AACD accredited dentist.