SMILE-FX / Miramar / Understanding the proposal
What if I already have a crown, veneer or filling?
If you are discussing braces and whitening, bring both your dental history and the color change you want explained.
Return to the position and color lessonsInclude existing dental work in the whitening conversation
Bleaching can lighten natural teeth; it does not lighten crowns, veneers or fillings. ADA: Whitening Bring the history of that work alongside the color change you want to discuss, so the two can be considered together.
Dental history and sensitivity matter in an individual assessment. ADA: Whitening If you have a summary from your dentist, explain what it records. If you only remember earlier work or sensitivity, say that and ask what information the team would like clarified.
Natural teeth in the supplied history
Crown named in the supplied history
The illustration uses labels from Ava's fictional history below. It identifies the recorded crown and the neighboring natural teeth; it does not ask you to identify dental materials by looking at your own teeth.
Fictional example: Ava brings a crown history and a color goal
“My dentist's history summary dated 12 May identifies a crown on my upper left front tooth. It describes the neighboring front teeth as natural teeth. I want to ask about lightening the color of those natural teeth and understand how the existing crown fits into that discussion.”
Ava's account brings three useful details together:
| What she brings | How it helps the conversation |
|---|---|
| Her dentist's recorded crown | It names the existing work and its upper-left-front location. |
| The neighboring natural front teeth | They identify the teeth she means when describing her preference. |
| Her color goal | She wants that preference explained alongside the recorded crown. |
This gives Ava a concrete way to ask about her options. She can refer to the recorded work, point to the teeth she means and explain her preference, instead of having to guess how the crown should be managed.
Bring what you know; clarify the rest with the team
Your information may be less detailed than Ava's. A written summary, an attributed recollection and uncertainty are different starting points, and you can describe whichever applies. Ask which records, if any, would help the conversation and who can supply them.
Use the discussion to understand the options for your own circumstances. Ava's example recommends no replacement work or particular whitening approach.
Understand the different roles of your dentist and orthodontist, then see how included whitening fits within a written proposal.