I had Zoom Whitening done in preparation for a crown I needed. My dentist told me that if I ever wanted to brighten my smile, now was the time to do it, because the crown’s color couldn’t be change afterwards. The tooth isn’t visible all the time. It’s on my top, but two spaces over from the front. Anyway, I went in for the Zoom Whitening and had the crown done about a month later. The dentist assured me it would look fantastic. When I looked at it afterwards, the crown was slightly darker than the rest of my teeth. I didn’t get to see it until after it was cemented, so now I’m stuck with it.

The dentist told me that he used the whitest shade possible, and that it only appears darker because it’s closer to the back of my mouth. He also said that it wouldn’t get noticed, because it’s not part of my smile… except it is. I can see it when I smile in the mirror, and I have looked at it in all sorts of lighting. I complained about it over the phone, and the office lady told me that my teeth would darken over time, and it would match. I’m really frustrated. Are they right and should I leave it, or should I insist that the dentist fix it? — Marilyn

Marilyn,
It sounds like your doctor doesn’t have a whole lot of experience when it comes to cosmetic dentistry or Zoom Whitening. You may want to have another dentist handle any of your future cosmetic needs.

First of all, he didn’t use the whitest shade possible. It sounds like he used the whitest “natural shade,” but now that you’ve had Zoom Whitening, your teeth are incredibly bright. Although they’re not a shade that’s seen in untreated teeth, they’re likely a very common shade for whitened teeth, and he should have ordered a lighter color to suit. Therefore, it’s not your imagination- that tooth probably doesn’t match the rest of your teeth, and, given its position, of course you can see it. It’s part of your smile line, and he should have known this and taken extra care when selecting a shade. Moreover, he should have allowed you to look at the crown before it was put on. It’s very odd that he didn’t have you try it in and give you a chance to examine it before it was permanently cemented.

As you acknowledged, you can’t change the color of the new crown, and the individual who told you that the other teeth would “catch up,” was sorely mistaken. Teeth will take on a whole different hue depending on your habits, and there’s no telling if or when the crown will ever match. The real problem, however, is that you paid extra to have all of your teeth white, and to have that crown match, and you should have received what you expected. At this point, the only way to make it match is to have it redone, and the doctor should be willing to correct it for you without hassle.

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