While teeth whitening and dental veneers are both cosmetic procedures performed to improve a person’s smile, there are vast differences between the two processes. Depending on your personal dental goals and needs, you might benefit more from one procedure over the other. At Anchorage Dental Center, a family dentist in Anchorage, AK, they offer both methods of tooth enhancement to help all patients attain the smile they have always wanted.

Before you visit your dentist to have one of these dental procedures performed, here are a few key differences between teeth whitening and veneers:

• Purpose: There is really only one goal when it comes to teeth whitening: to remove tooth discoloration caused by stains and leave teeth whiter than ever before. Dental veneers, on the other hand, have a plethora of purposes. In addition to whitening your smile, they also correct worn enamel, uneven alignment and spacing, and chips or cracks. Your dentist will probably recommend veneers if your teeth have large gaps or little structure.
• Procedure: Teeth whitening is a quick and painless procedure that involves wearing a vinyl tray filled with bleaching gel. After your visit to the dentist, you will take home additional trays that you will wear over the next three or four weeks. Veneers require placing a tooth-colored covering over your teeth, making the process a more complicated dental procedure. The process also requires alteration of the teeth and the use of an anesthetic to minimize discomfort.
• Treatment Time: If you visit your family dentist for teeth whitening, this procedure can be completed in one trip that can take anywhere from 15 minutes to three hours to complete. Sometimes dentists will use a high-intensity light to speed up the process. Dental veneers require a much lengthier process that can span over two dental visits, depending on if you need a direct or indirect technique. If you require an indirect technique, you will initially wear temporary veneers while your permanent ones are manufactured, which can take 2–3 weeks.

To speak with a dentist at Anchorage Dental Center today to find out if you are a candidate for either of these dental procedures, call (907) 278-2521. You can also learn more about the cosmetic dentistry procedures offered by visiting this family dentist’s office online or following them on Facebook.