Natural-tooth colour · Suitability first
Whitening may change the colour of natural teeth, but it does not change the colour of fillings, crowns, veneers, or dentures. Start with an assessment of your oral health, existing dental work, sensitivity, goals, realistic limits, current professional options, and expected fees.
For current pain, swelling, injury, or worsening symptoms: Call (403) 313-3000 during clinic hours for current urgent availability. Do not wait for a cosmetic appointment request.
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Before you request
Four points shape the discussion before any treatment is recommended:
Bleaching can alter the colour of natural tooth structure. It does not whiten fillings, crowns, veneers, dentures, or other restorative materials.
Not every type or pattern of discolouration responds in the same way. An examination helps identify factors that may affect suitability, evenness, and realistic limits.
The Canadian Dental Association identifies tooth sensitivity and irritation of the gums or other soft tissues as common short-term effects of bleaching. Ask what to do if either develops or persists.
Ask about the professional whitening options and fees currently available.
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Reasons people request care
You may want to discuss a general change in natural-tooth colour, a difference between teeth, surface stain, colour that has changed over time, or a mismatch between natural teeth and existing dental work. These situations do not all have the same cause or the same treatment path.
An assessment may support professional whitening, cleaning or other care first, a restorative discussion, monitoring, referral, or no treatment. A requested cosmetic change does not automatically require treatment.
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What is reviewed
Dr. Wu reviews the colour change you want to discuss, relevant health and dental history, current sensitivity, teeth, gums, and existing dental work. Records may be recommended when they are clinically useful. The goal is to understand the starting point and which options are reasonable.
The Canadian Dental Association advises that bleaching is not appropriate for teeth with decay or demineralisation. Other tooth or gum concerns may need attention before an elective whitening decision.
Natural ageing, foods and drinks, tobacco, tooth development, medication history, trauma, root canal treatment, and existing restorations can affect tooth colour. Different causes may respond differently or require another approach.
Fillings, crowns, veneers, and dentures do not whiten with bleaching. Lightening natural teeth can make a colour difference between the teeth and existing dental work more noticeable.
Tell the team about current or previous sensitivity and the change you hope to see. No exact shade, evenness, speed, or duration of a result can be selected from the website.
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Confirm before proceeding
The steps below are general. The clinic confirms the current professional option after assessment.
Ask what may be contributing to the colour, which teeth are being considered, which restorations may remain unchanged, and what a realistic limit may be.
Decay, demineralisation, gum concerns, unexplained colour change, or active sensitivity may change the sequence or point to another assessment.
Ask which option the clinic currently offers, who oversees it, what instructions apply, what is included in the estimate, and which findings could change the plan. This page does not state whether care is in-office, take-home, or another professional approach.
Use the approved product only as directed. Contact the clinic if sensitivity or soft-tissue irritation persists, worsens, or another concerning effect occurs.
Whitening effects can change over time. Ask for reassessment before repeating treatment rather than assuming that one interval or method applies to everyone.
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Realistic limits
The findings decide which of these applies.
Fillings, crowns, veneers, and dentures may become more noticeable if the natural teeth around them lighten.
The cause, location, depth, and pattern of the colour can affect the response. A particular shade or uniform result is not promised.
Some surface stain may be addressed through cleaning or other surface care. Colour within the tooth may require a different discussion.
Depending on the findings and goal, the discussion may include whitening, restorative care, a veneer consultation, monitoring, referral, or choosing not to proceed.
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Sensitivity and upkeep
Tooth sensitivity and soft-tissue irritation can occur with bleaching. The whitening effect is not permanent, and colour can be affected over time by the original cause, smoking, and foods or drinks that stain teeth. Individual needs and responses vary.
Follow the instructions supplied with the professional option. Stop using the product and contact the clinic if sensitivity or soft-tissue irritation persists, grows worse, or another concerning effect occurs.
Continue the brushing, cleaning-between-teeth, examination, and hygiene plan recommended for your oral health. Whitening does not replace preventive or restorative care.
Ask the clinic to review current oral health, restorations, sensitivity, and goals before another course. This page publishes no maintenance interval or lasting-result claim.
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Porcelain Veneers covers the assessment when the appearance goal involves shape, surface, or spacing that whitening may not change.
Porcelain Veneers08
Insurance and fees
Fees depend on the examination findings, the professional option offered, the care recommended, and the treatment you choose. Assessment, records, treatment of another oral-health concern, the approved whitening option, supervision, follow-up, and any restorative or referred care may affect the estimate. Ask the clinic for an estimate before treatment. No price or promotional offer is published.
We can help submit eligible claims or estimates. Your plan determines whether any part of the care is covered, which limits or exclusions apply, and whether the insurer pays the clinic directly. You are responsible for any amount not paid by your plan.
How Insurance and Fees Work
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Who provides the care
Dr. Michael Wu is a general dentist. He begins with an assessment and explains the findings, reasonable options, relevant limits, and next steps. If your case requires care outside the clinic's scope, the team will explain the referral.
Questions
If your question is not answered here, call the clinic and the team will answer it.
No. Bleaching changes natural-tooth colour, not restorative materials. Existing dental work may look darker beside natural teeth that have lightened. Include that difference in the assessment and treatment sequence.
No. The cause, location, depth, and pattern of the colour affect the response. An examination helps identify whether professional whitening, another treatment, monitoring, or no treatment is reasonable.
Tooth sensitivity and irritation of the gums or other soft tissues can occur. Follow the instructions for the approved option. Stop and contact the clinic if either effect persists, worsens, or another concerning effect occurs.
Ask about the professional options and fees currently offered.
No shade or result is promised. The starting colour, cause and pattern of discolouration, natural teeth, existing dental work, option used, and individual response can affect the change.
The whitening effect is not permanent. The original cause of the colour, smoking, foods and drinks, oral care, and individual response can affect change over time. No fixed duration or maintenance interval is published.
Request a whitening assessment to review your goals, oral health, natural teeth, existing restorations, sensitivity, current professional options, maintenance, and expected fees. The clinic will contact you to confirm availability. For current pain, swelling, injury, or worsening symptoms, call (403) 313-3000 during clinic hours for current urgent availability.
