I’ve had dental implants for 3 years. In January, I got Zoom whitening. The dentist I’m seeing now isn’t the same dentist who did the implant crowns. Anyway, it took a total of 3 whitening sessions to get my teeth as white as I want them. After the first session, I was immediately worried that my own teeth were lighter than the implant crowns. The dentist told me that it takes time for the color to stabilize and I shouldn’t worry. 2 months later and the implant crowns are still noticeably darker. All 3 implants are on the top left of my mouth, immediately to the left of my center teeth. So I’m concerned about how this looks. My dentist has no explanation now. She just tells me that it’s not so noticeable. I have honest close friends who have told me that the color difference is noticeable. Am I stuck with this, or is there some way to darken my teeth or will I have to get new implant crowns? Kamila
Kamila – Zoom whitening and the acceleration light provide quick penetration of bleaching gel into your teeth. This makes the whitening process faster than take-home whitening. Your super white teeth might darken a little with time, but that will take considerable time. Teeth bleaching gel lightens the natural pigmentation of your teeth. It is unlikely that your teeth will ever darken enough to match your dental implant crowns.
Matching Dental Implant Crowns to Bleached Teeth
Ideally, teeth whitening should be completed before you receive dental implants. Crowns are colorfast, so they cannot be darkened or lightened. Your dentist should have explained to you that your implant crowns wouldn’t match your teeth after Zoom whitening. Receiving whitening first ensures implant crowns are made to match your newly whitened natural teeth. Unfortunately, the solution for you is to get new crowns to match your natural teeth. An experienced prosthodontist can perfectly match the color so no one can distinguish your new crowns from your natural teeth.
Before you choose a prosthodontist, check his or her website to learn more about the following:
- Level of experience
- Training
- Credentials
- Smile gallery before-and-after photos of actual patients at the practice
Although replacing the implant crowns will cost you more money, you’ll have the satisfaction of a smile that you’re comfortable with and really love.
This post is sponsored by Naperville board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
