I have quite a few fillings but want to whiten my teeth. My fillings currently match the yellowish color of my teeth. Do I have the fillings replaced and then whiten or do it the other way around? Or will the fillings whiten with my teeth?
Brooke
Dear Brooke,
The fillings will not whiten along with your teeth. Any type of teeth whitening, whether professional or over-the-counter, only works on natural tooth structure. So, while the teeth themselves will whiten, the fillings you have will stay the exact same color they were when they were first bonded in. The good news is, it doesn’t damage them, so your tooth structure underneath the fillings will remain perfectly healthy.
You will want to do the teeth whitening first. Once you have reached the level of whitening you want, the next step will be to wait two weeks for the color to stabilize. Once that is finished, you are good to have your composite fillings re-done to match the new color.
Options in Teeth Whitening
If you want to get the whitening done quickly, then I recommend Zoom Whitening. This is done in your dentist’s office and is completed in just one appointment. It will get your teeth their absolute whitest. If that is what you want, this is the perfect option for you.
However, if you don’t want them completely white, just whiter, then you will want to do take-home whitening. It is still professional strength and administered under the care of a dentist, you just wear the custom-fitted trays and whitening gel at home during a time that is convenient for you.
Doing this allows you more control over the level of whitening you want for your teeth.
This blog is brought to you by Ahwatukee Dentist Dr. Harveer Kaur.