I recently got a new dental bridge to replace two missing teeth on the upper left side. I can’t believe how much better my smile looks! Even though my budget is tight, I’d like to really make my smile shine, and am thinking about doing some whitening. The teeth in my new bridge match my teeth pretty well – will the whitening process work on those teeth, too?
–Dave in Mishawaka
Dear Dave -
This is one of those times when I wish you would have asked this question BEFORE you had the bridge work done. The material used to create the false teeth in your bridge is almost certainly porcelain or ceramic, and unfortunately, Zoom whitening does not affect the color of those materials. Zoom whitening removes the surface stains that darken the color of your natural teeth – the false teeth in your veneers are that color all the way through.
If you are really determined to keep improving your smile, I strongly recommend you seek the services of an expert cosmetic dentist who will consider such questions before completing the design of your bridge or other dental work. Unless there is a structural problem with your current bridge, I am afraid you have no recourse but to accept the color it is or to have it replaced after you whiten your natural teeth.