If you’ve decided you’d like to get your teeth whitened, there are lots of great ways to do that. But if you have crowns, bridges, caps or other prosthodontics in prominent areas of your mouth, you should consider a few options for keeping your whole smile consistent.

When you have prosthodontics, they have been matched to your existing tooth color. If you get your teeth whitened, the prosthodontics will not also become whitened with your natural teeth. The stains and lasers they use to whiten teeth are designed to work with natural enamel, not the artificial materials that crowns, bridges and caps are made of.

If you haven’t yet gotten your prosthodontics and are considering teeth whitening, tell your general dentistry practitioner before you ever begin. They will either wait to put on your crowns, bridges or caps until you have already completed the tooth whitening to your satisfaction, or attempt to match the prosthodontics to the tooth color you are aiming to achieve for your natural teeth.

If you already have crowns, bridges, caps or other prosthodontics, explain to your general dentistry practitioner that you are thinking of tooth whitening and ask what the options are for matching your natural teeth to the prosthodontics.

Your dentist may recommend that you get the prosthodontics replaced in a different color matched to the new teeth, but they may also have some ideas for making the transition seem natural.

In some cases, matching your crowns, bridges or caps may not even be necessary. If you have a crown on a back molar, for example, the difference in tooth color is not likely to be noticeable to anyone, and you may choose to keep your prosthodontics just as they are.

We still highly recommend you talk to your general dentistry practitioner before undergoing tooth whitening when you have already undergone prosthodonics procedures or anticipate getting crowns, bridges, caps or any other cosmetic dental work.

They may have just the solution you’re looking for to get that perfect smile.

2 Responses to “Tooth Whitening and Your Prosthodontics”

1. Jettie Corado Says:
   December 27th, 2009 at 12:13 pm

   Did you know of any side effects to getting your teeth whitened? I have always needed to do it just been kinda afraid.

2. penndental Says:
   June 16th, 2010 at 11:10 am

   Penn Dentistry offers both in house laser tooth whitening and take home proceedures.

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