In short, no!
Relax, any issues can be handled before proceeding with your treatment
These days, tooth whitening is available for improving the appearance of all teeth, regardless of their condition. Old fillings and crowns need not limit the aesthetic appearance of your teeth, and you can improve them at any stage of your life.
Health Check & Planning
The first priority, as with all dental treatments, is the health of your teeth; which is why we recommend having a check up before undertaking any cosmetic procedures. This is to ensure there are no existing problems to address, as these could flare up down the line. For example, if you have active decay this should always be treated before any whitening.
If you do need any treatment, and are considering future teeth whitening, always let your dentist know in advance so that they can plan your treatment with this in mind.
For example, if you require a filling we can install a temporary one to protect the tooth while whitening it. Once complete, we'll replace it with a permanent filling to perfectly match the new shade of your teeth!
Previous Dental Restorations
Many people who visit us have put whitening off for years due to old fillings or crowns on front teeth. Don't worry, we can help!
The colour of these teeth will not change during whitening, however they can be easily replaced once you are satisfied with the new shade of your teeth - just 2 weeks after completing your course of whitening.
If, after completing whitening, you find that you are still happy with appearance of these dental restorations they need not even be changed - this is often the case with white fillings in back teeth where they often are not very obvious even after whitening.
Existing Teeth
Finally if you have any 'dead' teeth which are very dark - don't panic - the appearance of these teeth can be greatly improved by whitening.
We take particular care of these teeth, which often require a combination of regular whitening as well as internal bleaching to improve the colour from the inside out. This will give these teeth, and subsequently your smile, a more natural appearance.
Sometimes these teeth take slightly longer to whiten than your other teeth, but with time the appearance can be vastly improved.
Following teeth whitening treatment, if you are still dissatisfied with their appearance we can provide further treatments to improve the appearance of particular teeth such as composite or traditional veneers.