Crowns, Veneers and Fillings After Whitening: Avoiding a Mismatch

Most people do not think about their fillings until after whitening, when a small grey-yellow patch appears on a front tooth that was never noticeable before. It is easy to avoid that surprise by looking at existing dental work first.

What Changes Colour, and What Does Not

Back-tooth fillings and crowns rarely matter, because they do not show when you smile. The ones to think about are on the front six to eight teeth.

How We Check Before You Whiten

• We note every visible restoration: which teeth have crowns, veneers or fillings, and what shade they are.
• We record your starting shade on a shade guide, so the change can be measured.
• We show you the likely outcome. If a crown already matches your teeth closely, a big shade change will make it stand out.
• We agree a plan before you start: how far to go, and whether anything will need replacing afterwards.

Your Options if There Is a Mismatch

• Whiten to a shade closer to your existing work. A smaller change keeps everything even.
• Replace small front fillings or bonding after whitening, matched to the new shade. This is usually straightforward.
• Replace a crown or veneer to match. This is a bigger decision, often made when the crown is due for replacement anyway. See dental crowns and bridges and veneers.
• Leave back-tooth work as it is. It rarely shows.

Planning a new crown or veneer instead? Read whitening before a crown, implant or veneer. For whitening prices and what happens during a visit, see our teeth whitening in Tanjong Pagar page.