Will I Need New Dental Bonding Again?

Will I need new dental bonding again? I thought my teeth and dental bonding looked more noticeable after I finished Invisalign. I spent so much money on Invisalign that I cannot afford teeth whitening right now, so I decided to whiten my teeth with a mixture of activated charcoal and baking soda. It seems that the dental bonding absorbed some of the mixture, and now it looks dull. I am so embarrassed. Is there anything I can do to correct it before my dental appointment in March? Thank you. Leah from Elk Grove

Leah,

Thank you for your question. We understand wanting your teeth to look brighter, especially after the Invisalign treatment. You are not alone in attempting to cut costs by whitening your teeth yourself.

How Does Baking Soda or Activated Charcoal Affect Dental Bonding?

Baking soda and activated charcoal are abrasive to dental bonding. So repeatedly using the abrasives can damage the gloss on your bonding and make it look dull. A cosmetic dentist would need to examine your bonding to determine your treatment options.

Does Activated Charcoal Whiten Teeth?

Recent studies show that activated charcoal does not whiten teeth. A November 2020 article on the effectiveness of activated charcoal for enamel whitening shows that after 14 days of experiments on bovine (animal-based) enamel discs, charcoal-based power had no whitening effects.

Can You Restore Dull Dental Bonding?

If your dental bonding is dull from abrasives, a cosmetic dentist will examine the bonding to determine the extent of the damage. Your treatment possibilities include:

• Restore – The dentist may be able to polish the bonding to restore its gloss.
• Resurface – A touch-up may resolve the dullness.
• Replace – A dentist may recommend replacing the bonding if it is old or too damaged to restore.

Whether you get your bonding polished, resurfaced, or replaced, look for nonabrasive toothpaste for cosmetic dentistry restorations. Supersmile® toothpaste is a brand that keeps your bonding fresh without scratching it. For more information about whitening dental bonding, please read the post, Will Teeth Whitening Work on Dental Bonding?

We suggest scheduling a consultation with a cosmetic dentist to examine your bonding and determine your treatment options. Correcting the dullness of your bonding may not be as expensive as you think. When you are ready, you can consider your options for in-office or at-home teeth whitening.

Beverly Hills accredited fellow of cosmetic dentistry Dr. Brian LeSage sponsors this post.