Can I Have Teeth Whitening Done if I Have Crowns?

Shiny smiles attract attention remarkably. Teeth whitening provides the key in minutes. Everything is flawless until your crown isn’t.

Smiles should sparkle evenly, not skunkishly. Teeth whitening seems easy. However, crowns quickly make it complicated. Not all teeth respond equally to whitening. Crowns don’t follow the same rules.

You bleach, but your crown remains stubbornly unattractive. Teeth whitening can enhance your appearance or call attention to flaws. This quandary requires a restorative dentist’s expertise.

How Teeth Whitening Works?

Whitening significantly removes surface and interior stains on natural enamel with bleaching chemicals. A restorative dentist performs professional in-office whitening using powerful peroxide-based gels and activating lights.

At-home alternatives include trays, strips, and pens that contain milder chemicals and more gradual results. These treatments oxidize stains in the enamel and show a whiter look.

Yet restorative materials such as crowns, veneers, and fillings don’t react similarly. They don’t react chemically. Therefore, whitening teeth doesn’t work on them. That’s why your natural teeth will whiten. However, crowns retain their natural color, no matter the treatment.

Will Whitening Affect My Crowns?

Whitening will not change the color of your crowns, regardless of the process or concentration. Crowns are crafted from non-absorbent materials such as porcelain or ceramic, which means they resist stains or bleaching agents.

Unlike natural teeth with porous enamel, Crowns have a smooth, sealed surface. Whitening gels don’t penetrate or react with the structure of the crown. If your crowns were previously color-matched to darker teeth years ago, whitening them can make them appear mismatched. That jarring difference becomes particularly obvious on front teeth or visible molars.

A restorative dentist in Penn Township commonly encounters frustrated patients following whitening, unaware that crowns don’t change. Knowing how crowns react significantly prevents surprise and uneven results.

Fortunately, there are solutions, such as crown replacement or whitening natural teeth before new crowns. You should constantly strategize cosmetic work and begin with a consultation. That guarantees your teeth whitening experience leads to a confident, cohesive smile, not an uneven one.

What If My Crowns No Longer Match My Natural Teeth?

Once whitened, crowns can look less natural than natural teeth. This variance can make the smile seem unbalanced and prominent in a picture or direct illumination. Fortunately, there are several brilliant alternatives to repair it.

First, you could replace worn-down crowns with new ones designed to blend into your whitened teeth. Alternately, you could do teeth whitening before obtaining any crowns. This way, your restorative dentist can match them with the new whiter shade. Planning significantly eliminates the inconvenience of color mismatch and redundant crown replacements.

Top Practices for Individuals Wearing Crowns Who Want to Whiten

You have to begin with a consultation from a restorative dentist to evaluate your options and timing. If you can, have teeth whitening done before receiving any new crowns or other restorations. Doing the whitening first lets your dentist match your crowns to your new tooth color.

For crowns already in place, ask if they’re noticeable when you smile. If so, mismatched shades can appear and need replacement after being whitened. Don’t second-guess. Consider seeking professional advice on next steps.

With careful planning, you can even have a stunning smile. Professional guidance and careful steps work best with teeth whitening.

Please consult with our restorative dentists for optimum results. Our advice involves synchronizing timing, material, and shade matching. Strategic planning makes all the difference.

Teeth whitening is potent, but only when properly performed. Guard your smile investment by visiting our restorative dentists first.

Curious about how teeth whitening works and which methods deliver real results? Don’t miss our blog on The Science Behind Teeth Whitening.