Bleaching has been proven successful for at least 90 percent of all patients who have tried it, although it may not be an option for everyone.
Patients with crowns or fillings should be advised that the porcelain and white composite restorations will not lighten as the rest of the tooth. If you decide to pursue the whitening procedure and you have crowns or fillings, you may want to replace your existing restorations as well. If you have very sensitive teeth, periodontal disease, or enamel worn from teeth, your dentist may discourage bleaching. And in some cases another cosmetic procedure, such as porcelain veneers or dental bonding, might prove to be a more effective option for improving your smile.
You should consider tooth bleaching if your teeth are darkened from age, coffee, tea, red wine, smoking or chewing tobacco.
Teeth darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange generally respond best to lightening. Other types of gray stains caused by fluorosis, smoking or drug therapy (like tetracycline) will be lightened by bleaching, but overall, the results won't be as dramatic. Stains caused by trauma to the tooth, illness (such as severe jaundice), or heredity also may not respond well to bleaching.
Contact a dentist to determine if tooth bleaching is right for you, or if other options should be considered to brighten your smile.
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