Dr. Hall,

I had porcelain veneers done on many of my upper teeth. I was told porcelain veneers do not get darker, but they do. I've had them in for about 7 months and they are starting to get a yellow tinge. The porcelain veneers were beautiful white when I got them. I drink a fair amount of coffee but try to rinse my mouth afterwards. What's happening and how can I keep this expensive investment of porcelain veneers in its original beautiful white translucent color? Thank you,

—A. R. in California

Dear A.R.,

Porcelain veneers that are properly done are very color-stable and should not be turning yellow after seven months merely from drinking coffee. Could this be a case of porcelain veneer damage? There are a couple of possibilities here. We have seen cases where people were told they were getting porcelain veneers and they weren't really porcelain. Another possibility is that the surface has been damaged to where it is attracting stain. We have seen this happen with the Prophy Jet instrument. It damages the glaze of the porcelain, making it microscopically rough so that it attracts stain where it didn't before. Is it possible that your hygienist used a Prophy Jet at your six-month checkup?

Isn't that sad that you paid to make your smile beautiful with porcelain veneers but now it is turning yellow! Unfortunately, you can't lighten porcelain veneers once they are put in. If there is a defect in the material, the only way to get rid of the yellow tinge would be to re-do the porcelain veneers. If the surface has been damaged, they could be fixed by being polished. Either way, go to an expert cosmetic dentist, not just a dentist who advertises that he or she is a cosmetic dentist.

You can lighten the teeth under the porcelain veneers by bleaching them, but you that won't get rid of the yellow color that is coming from the porcelain veneers.

Dr. Hall

Click here to read the other cosmetic dentistry mistakes.

See photographs of beautiful work by porcelain veneer dentists.

Click here for referral to an expert cosmetic dentist.