3. CONSIDER GETTING PORCELAIN VENEERS
You could always just abandon the whole bleaching idea, and place porcelain veneers or jacket crowns on your teeth. Porcelain laminate veneers are thin, translucent, shell-shaped coverings that are placed over your teeth, and permanently bonded. Think of it this way: your kid writes all over your white walls – instead of bleaching it, you put up white wallpaper. The thing is, this wallpaper requires at least two visits to the dentist, and can run you $700 to $1,200 per tooth. At the first appointment, the teeth are prepared and old bonding is removed. Impressions of your teeth are made, and you choose the porcelain's shade and shape. Some dentists provide digital imaging, allowing you to get an idea of how you'll look. You then go home with temporary bonding covering your teeth. About a week later, you return, and the veneers or crowns are permanently cemented. They last for many years, and have no food restrictions – you can eat all of the apples and popcorn you want. We're sorry to report that there are no over-the-counter kits for you to do your own porcelain dental work at home.
