Teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic procedure that can help restore the natural whiteness of your teeth. But if you have dental crowns, you may be wondering if the treatment will damage them. Fortunately, the answer is no. Teeth whitening should not damage, weaken, or compromise existing crowns.
However, if you have a porcelain crown, the treatment will not lighten your crown like it does with your natural teeth. Porcelain crowns are made to be stain resistant, so they don't discolor (or lighten) like your natural teeth. Dental crowns cannot be whitened, but the dentist can whiten existing teeth to closely match the crowns. The porcelain used to make dental crowns can withstand the powerful bleaching agents used in the dentist's office.
This means that patients can undergo teeth whitening treatment without damaging the previous dental restoration. Whitening treatments won't affect the color of your crowns, according to the American Dental Association (ADA). The crown will remain the same color as when the dentist placed it in the mouth. If your natural teeth start to turn yellow or stain, you may want to look to whiten those teeth to match your brightest crowns.
Most crowns are made of porcelain or composite porcelain and, according to the ADA, whitening treatments don't work on these types of materials. However, they will still be the color they were when your dentist put them on. So, if you notice your natural teeth turn yellow or develop spots, your goal is to whiten them to match your whiter crown more closely. Teeth whitening treatments can be performed even when you have restorations such as crowns or veneers.
These restorations are made of durable materials such as porcelain and composite resin and cannot be damaged by whitening agents used to whiten teeth. However, these bleaching agents have no effect on the stains and discoloration that form in these restorations, so they end up being darker than the patient's actual teeth after whitening treatments. While the whitening process will not have an adverse effect on dental crowns, it will not bleach them. You may also need to whiten your teeth at home with whitening trays provided by your dentist between visits. Teeth whitening will not provide immediate results, as whitening must be established and teeth must return to their healthy state. Teeth whitening treatments are designed to remove discoloration from your enamel due to lifestyle habits such as consuming foods with staining dyes or drinking beverages such as coffee, tea, red wine, and others.