Are Crowns Able to Be Whitened?

When you first have your crowns put on, they look nice and white. However, as time passes, you may begin to notice that you are developing a slight discoloration in the material of the crowns.

While this is definitely worsened by things such as smoking, drinking wine, or consuming other dark foods and drinks, it tends to happen to some degree in everyone’s mouth.

Some of our patients want to know what they can do about this. The tooth whitening kits sold in stores specifically note that they will not work on dental work. So can you whiten your crowns?

The Bad News

The bad news is that the materials used in your crowns are not going to be affected by the compounds used in whitening products. This means that if your crowns are starting to become discolored, the traditional methods of whitening will not really do anything for you.

The Good News

However, the good news is that you do have other options to get the smile that you want. For one thing, we could discuss using veneers to brighten your smile. Since veneers are designed specifically to improve your smile’s appearance, they are a great way to cover discolored teeth.

Another option is that we can craft your crowns out of material that is lighter than the color you eventually want your teeth to be. This will account for the anticipated darkening over time, meaning that you will still have a smile that appears natural and white.

Of course, prevention is probably the biggest thing you can do to keep your crowns looking good. This means taking precautions to limit darkening, such as using a straw to enjoy beverages such as coffee and tea. Do your best to avoid tobacco, and rinse your mouth out after you enjoy dark foods and beverages.

If you have questions about your crowns, please feel free to call us.