You've finally kicked your habit, and you might have even promised yourself a more beautiful smile once you met your goal. Whether you smoked one year or 25, it is common to find that your teeth have been stained by tobacco over time. Nicotine stains are often the most visible on the front teeth due to the higher level of exposure that they receive as you smoked. They can also range from a general yellowish stain on the whole surface of the tooth to brown streaks that seem to be randomly distributed. Either way, stopping your habit means that you can look forward to your whiter smile lasting for longer. Now, all you have to do is work with the dentist to decide if dental veneers or a whitening service is right for you.

How Severe Are the Stains?

A teeth whitening service is typically the first thing people try to improve the appearance of their teeth. Having your teeth treated in the dentist's office gives you better results since they can use special whitening solutions and equipment to lift deep set stains. However, these whitening techniques can only do so much. In some cases, you may have deep stains that don't respond to treatment, or you may find that other discolorations show up more when the rest of your teeth are lighter. In these cases, veneers can cover up the irremovable stains.

Do Your Teeth Have Any Other Blemishes?

The color of your teeth might be the biggest issue on your mind. Yet, getting them whiter may highlight other flaws. Teeth whitening works great on smiles that are already pretty close to perfect regarding the placement and shape of each tooth. If you have any teeth in your smile zone that are chipped or misshapen compared to the others, then veneers can give you better results.

Which Fits Your Lifestyle Better?

You may also need to think about the overall time that you have to spend on getting your smile makeover done. Whitening procedures are typically done within less than an hour, and you may only need to do one or two visits to achieve the shade you want. In some cases, you may even be provided with an at-home kit the allows you to do touch ups at home. Veneers are slightly more time-consuming. Your dentist will need to take impressions and prepare your tooth during the first visit. Then, you will need to wait for a short period of time for the veneers to be make. A second visit to the dentist is usually required to place them, but they should last for many years after that.