Do tooth-whitening treatments offer a viable alternative to porcelain veneers?

In those cases where a displeasing tooth color is the single reason why porcelain veneers are being considered, it is possible that teeth whitening treatments can offer a more conservative treatment approach while still producing a similar cosmetic outcome. Tooth bleaching treatments (at-home whitening, in-office bleaching, or both in combination) have been well documented in dental literature as being effective. Of course this approach does possess its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of them:

» A teeth-whitening approach will be less costly than a set of porcelain veneers.

Compared to the cost of placing a set of porcelain veneers, teeth whitening treatments should offer a very attractively priced alternative. The patient's costs will, in part, be based on the initial type of whitening treatments that are employed (in-office or at-home). They will also be influenced by the type of touch-up whitening that will be utilized down the line.

» The tooth color produced by whitening treatments will relapse with time.

It is true that the results produced by any type of whitening treatments will fade over time. It is just as true, however, that whatever lightening results were achieved originally can generally be expected to be renewed with the use of (less involved and quicker) touch-up treatments. When comparing teeth whitening and porcelain veneers, one must weigh the perpetual need for whitening rejuvenation to the veneers situation which can provide a more stable color change, but once their original cosmetic appeal has deteriorated they must be replaced.

» Whitening treatment results will likely be less perfect than those produced by porcelain veneers.

It is absolutely true that whitening treatments may produce an end result that is less perfect that that which is possible with a set of porcelain veneers. As an obvious example, clearly no tooth shape or alignment changes can be made just by bleaching a person's teeth.

Even the color change, however, that is achieved with whitening treatments may likely be less perfect than that color change created by a set of porcelain veneers. And, in fact, even the degree to which a color change can be made by bleaching teeth is unpredictable. A dentist, based on their experiences with other patients, should be able to give their patient an idea of what type of change might be possible, but they will be able to predict the color change possible with porcelain veneers to a more precise degree.

» Whitened teeth should require less repair and maintenance than a set of porcelain veneers.

Teeth whitening has to do with just that, producing a tooth color change. Consider the situation where a person has a set of teeth that are perfect in every way except for their coloration. If the teeth are bleached, they are still structurally perfect, they just happen to be a lighter color.

Now, consider a situation where this same smile had a color change achieved by placing a set of porcelain veneers. By using the veneering method a number of variables have been introduced that might require repair (veneer chipping, breaking, or de-bonding).

Of course with this example it might be clear to anyone that making a color change via the use of whitening treatments is the better choice. But imagine the case where a smile is nearly perfect except for color. Would the nearly perfect, relatively maintenance free, solution produced by whitening treatments be a better choice than the perfect veneer appearance that may create an increased need for maintenance? Only the patient can decide this issue.