Can I Whiten My Teeth If I Have Dental Implants?

Not everyone has a complete smile of natural teeth. Many people have a combination of real teeth and dental implants. So what does that mean for teeth whitening? Can you still whiten your smile if you have prosthetic teeth next to natural teeth?

While prosthetic teeth can look and function much the same as natural teeth, they are not made from the same substances. Therefore, crowns, bridges and partials that are supported by dental implants will not react the same way to teeth whitening as your natural teeth.

Traditional whitening treatments do not work on porcelain or bonding materials, which means you can not lighten their color like you do your real teeth. Once the color has been established, it is there to stay. Color matching, however, can be precise and customized to meet your goals before the fake tooth or teeth is placed in your mouth.

The Good News

While it may be disheartening to know you can’t whiten your implants like real teeth, you’ll be happy to know that they also won’t stain like real teeth. Most prosthetics are made of porcelain, which is highly resistant to staining.

Plan Ahead

Due to the stain-resistant properties of prosthetic teeth, you may want to get your natural teeth at an ideal shade before matching your implant restorations. Whitening your smile after your implants have been placed could make them look dingy in comparison to your whitened natural teeth.

Stay Away from Staining Foods and Drinks

If you still have natural teeth along with implant-supported teeth, it is important to remember that just because your implant teeth won’t darken from drinking coffee, doesn’t mean your surrounding teeth won’t show stubborn stains. Follow smart eating and drinking habits to keep your entire set of teeth the same white color. This should include drinking coffee or dark sodas through a straw and rinsing well after eating blueberries, tomato sauce and other staining foods.

Need more tips on keeping your smile a brilliant white while you have dental implants? Contact Dr. Wayne Suway in Marietta. We have answers to all of your implant questions! If your natural teeth have become more dingy than your dental implants, we can recommend an effective solution to reverse those stains!