Can You Whiten Your Teeth If You Have Dental Implants?

Yes, you can whiten your teeth if you have dental implants, but the whitening treatment will only affect your natural teeth, not the implant crown. Dental implants are made from materials like porcelain or ceramic that don’t respond to whitening products, meaning they’ll remain the same colour whilst your natural teeth become lighter.

This creates an important consideration for anyone with dental implants who’s thinking about teeth whitening. At A1 Dental Surgery in Canterbury, we help patients navigate this situation by carefully planning the timing of implants and whitening treatments, or by replacing implant crowns to match newly whitened teeth.

Why Don’t Dental Implants Respond to Teeth Whitening?

Dental implants don’t respond to teeth whitening because the visible crown portion is made from synthetic materials like porcelain, zirconia, or ceramic. These materials are stain-resistant and colourfast, meaning their shade is permanently set during fabrication.

Teeth whitening products work by using hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to penetrate the enamel of natural teeth and break down stain molecules. However, these chemicals cannot penetrate the non-porous surface of implant crowns, leaving them unchanged. 

Natural teeth have porous enamel that absorbs whitening agents, whilst dental implant crowns have a non-porous ceramic or porcelain surface made from inorganic materials that don’t absorb chemicals.

Should You Whiten Your Teeth Before or After Getting Dental Implants?

You should whiten your teeth before getting dental implants. This allows your dentist to match the colour of your new implant crown to your freshly whitened natural teeth, ensuring a seamless, uniform smile. 

The recommended sequence is to complete your teeth whitening treatment and allow the colour to stabilise (typically 1-2 weeks), visit A1 Dental Surgery for your implant consultation, have your implant crown fabricated to match your whitened teeth, and then receive your dental implant with a perfectly matched crown.

If you whiten your teeth after having an implant placed, your natural teeth will become lighter whilst your implant crown remains its original shade. This creates a noticeable colour mismatch that can only be corrected by replacing the implant crown—an unnecessary expense that proper planning can avoid.

What Happens If You Already Have Implants and Want Whiter Teeth?

If you already have dental implants and want whiter teeth, you have two main options. The first is to whiten your natural teeth and replace the implant crown. This involves completing professional teeth whitening treatment at A1 Dental Surgery, waiting 1-2 weeks for your natural tooth colour to stabilise, having a new implant crown fabricated to match your whitened teeth, and replacing the old crown with the new restoration.

Replacing an implant crown is straightforward—the implant itself (the titanium post in your jawbone) doesn’t need to be touched. Only the visible crown portion is replaced. Alternatively, if your implant crown is already a desirable shade, you might choose to whiten your natural teeth just enough to match the implant rather than exceed it.

Can You Use Whitening Toothpaste With Dental Implants?

Yes, you can safely use whitening toothpaste with dental implants. Whitening toothpaste won’t change the colour of your implant crown, but it won’t damage it either. 

These toothpastes typically work by gently polishing away surface stains on natural teeth rather than chemically lightening them. They help remove surface stains from natural teeth, maintain brightness after professional whitening, and are safe for both natural teeth and implant crowns.

However, whitening toothpaste cannot change the intrinsic colour of teeth and won’t whiten implant crowns. At A1 Dental Surgery, we recommend whitening toothpaste as a maintenance tool rather than a primary whitening solution.

Does Professional Teeth Whitening Damage Dental Implants?

No, professional teeth whitening does not damage dental implants. The whitening agents used in treatments like Enlighten teeth whitening are safe for implant crowns, though they simply won’t change their colour. Professional whitening at A1 Dental Surgery is safe for implants because the whitening gel only affects natural tooth enamel, the chemicals don’t react with porcelain or ceramic materials, and modern implant materials are highly stain-resistant and durable.

How Can You Maintain Colour Match Between Implants and Natural Teeth?

Maintaining a colour match between dental implants and natural teeth requires attention to what stains your natural teeth. Since implant crowns are highly stain-resistant, the primary concern is preventing your natural teeth from darkening over time.

Limit staining foods and drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, dark berries, and curry. Practice excellent oral hygiene by brushing twice daily, flossing daily, and visiting A1 Dental Surgery for regular hygiene appointments. Avoid tobacco products, as smoking causes significant yellowing of natural teeth that’s difficult to remove. Using a straw for dark beverages reduces contact between staining liquids and front teeth.