Will Professional Teeth Whitening Work If You Have Veneers or Crowns?

Your smile is one of those things you’re constantly looking after, much like your skin. You brush, floss, keep up with dental visits, and sometimes invest in treatments to keep your teeth looking their best. Our teeth go through a lot over the years. Staining, everyday wear, aging, and previous dental work can all change the look of our smile, and it’s not unusual to have a mix of natural teeth, crowns, and veneers. With how much we care for and invest in our smiles, it’s natural to want our teeth to look their best. Staining and yellowing can be one of the things that holds us back from feeling confident in our smile, especially when dental work is also part of the picture. So, can you still get professional teeth whitening if you have veneers or crowns? Let’s take a closer look.

Can Crowns or Veneers Be Whitened?

If you have crowns or veneers and you’re thinking about professional teeth whitening, there’s one thing you’ll want to know first: your natural teeth and your dental work don’t respond to whitening in the same way. Here’s what you need to know about what professional whitening can and can’t change.

• Professional teeth whitening can help lift certain types of staining and discoloration from natural teeth, making them appear brighter. This includes both surface stains and deeper discoloration.

  
  

• Crowns are made from restorative materials such as porcelain, ceramic, resin or metal. Whitening won’t change the shade of an existing crown, so it will generally stay the color it was made to be.

  
  

• Veneers, particularly porcelain veneers, are designed to cover the front of the tooth and improve its appearance. They don’t whiten like natural teeth, so their existing shade will remain.

If you have crowns or veneers, professional teeth whitening may still be a great option for brightening your natural teeth. The key is knowing how your existing dental work may affect your final shade, so you can go into your treatment with realistic expectations and a plan that works for your smile.

When Is the Best Time for Professional Teeth Whitening?

The best timing really depends on whether your crowns or veneers are already in place or still part of your future smile plans. If you’re considering whitening alongside dental work, here’s what to keep in mind:

• Already have crowns or veneers? Professional teeth whitening can still brighten your natural teeth, but your existing restorations will remain their current shade. Knowing this beforehand can help you decide whether whitening is right for you.

  
  

• Getting new crowns or veneers? If you’re planning to do professional teeth whitening, it can be helpful to have your natural teeth whitened before your new restorations are made. This gives you a brighter natural shade to work with when deciding on the color of your new crowns or veneers. That way, your new dental work can be matched to your brighter smile from the start, rather than choosing a shade first and then trying to whiten your natural teeth around it later.

  
  

• If you’re replacing older dental work, it can also be a chance to rethink the overall shade of your smile. Over time, your natural teeth may have become darker or more stained while your existing crowns or veneers have stayed the same. If you’re already planning to replace them, it may be worth considering professional teeth whitening as part of that process, rather than treating the new restoration as a completely separate decision.

A Brighter Smile Starts With a Plan

Having crowns or veneers doesn’t mean you have to give up on having a brighter smile. There are a few things to consider when natural teeth and dental work are part of the same smile, but that doesn’t mean whitening is out of the question. If you’re in Ontario and considering professional teeth whitening, book a consultation with us and let’s chat about what could work for your smile.

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