The Whitest Denture Shades

The whitest shade of dentures is 0M1 if we’re including bleached shades but if we’re excluding them, the whitest natural denture color is B1.

We’ll show you images of what these colors look like. Although you’re probably here because you’re picking a shade for your dentures so we’ll give you some tips on which one to choose.

Whitest denture colors

The whitest denture shade in existence is 0M1 which is the lightest bleached tooth shade. The 0M1 color is also commonly known as the hollywood white shade since a lot of A-list celebrities choose it for their dental veneers.

Below are a series of images comparing the three bleached tooth shades (0M1, 0M2, 0M3) to an averaged colored denture. The denture teeth in the photos are a 2M2 which is equivalent to shade A2, which is the second most common tooth color.

Sometimes the lighting can affect the color in photos so we made a video to show you the color comparisons from various different angles.

Whitest natural denture shade

The whitest denture shade that is still considered natural is B1 tooth color. The hollywood white shades are whiter than B1 but they aren’t natural. Therefore if you were looking for a set of natural looking dentures you should choose B1.

The image below shows you what the whitest natural shade looks like for teeth on dentures. The photo uses tooth color 1M1 which is equivalent to the B1 color albeit ever so slightly whiter.

That color certainly looks much whiter than average.

What about the gums?

In addition to choosing a color for the denture teeth, the denture base or rather the gums can also have a shade chosen as well. However, the shade for denture gums does not come in white because no one has white gums.

The gum colors often come in variations of pink.

The colors denture teeth come in

Denture teeth come in every color that you can possibly imagine. You can make them whiter than paper or keep them natural looking. On the opposite end of the spectrum you can even get them to be darker than smoker’s teeth.

The teeth color chart for denture teeth is the same as the shade guides that are used for fillings, crowns, and veneers. Although there are denture specific color charts such as in the example below.

You can compare the denture specific color one to a regular shade guide but you’ll quickly notice that there isn’t really a difference. We never bought a denture color guide for our practice because it was redundant.

Which color is best for me?

The best denture color for you would depend on the condition of your mouth. Are you fully edentulous (missing all of your teeth) or are you partially edentulous (missing some of your teeth)?

In summary, you don’t really have an option if you’re getting a partial denture but you’ve ever option available if you’re getting a full denture.

Color considerations

You may think that everyone would go for the whitest color for dentures 0M1 but that simply isn’t true. Most people getting dentures tend to be older and if they wanted teeth that looked more natural, they should go for the average color which is either A3 or A2.

Blending in with your peers is something that you should take into consideration. Although if you still wanted a very white color that is still natural perhaps you should choose B1.

Something for you to think about.

Can I whiten denture teeth?

All dental prosthetic restorations such as denture teeth, crowns, veneers, and fillings cannot be whiten. Yes, you read that correctly, fake teeth cannot be whitened.

If you don’t believe us you can go ahead and spend a whole bunch of money on whitening products. However, at the end of your adventure you’ll find out that the teeth did not change colors at all.

The only way to get whiter denture teeth would be to have your dentist make you a new set. This time around you should choose a lighter shade so that you’ll permanently have whiter chompers.

Preventing dentures from staining

With that being said, dentures can become stained from foods, plaque, and tartar. If you keep your removable prosthetic clean they will maintain their color. Removing these stains can be considered as a form of “whitening” but not in the bleach your teeth sense.

Below is an image of a set of dentures where the in between areas are starting to pick up stains. This is an example of what happens if you don’t keep them clean!

Those stains look unsightly… wouldn’t you agree?

Can I darken my dentures?

Denture teeth cannot be darkened nor can they be whitened. Although we suppose if you let the teeth get stained and covered with tartar, you could consider that as a form of darkening them…

However, that is incredibly unhygienic and we do not recommend it.

If you think your dentures are too white, perhaps you should ask your dentist to make you an extra pair but with a darker shade. It is always a good idea to have a spare or back up set of teeth.

Takeaway

The whitest color that you can pick for dentures would be 0M1 which is a bleached tooth shade. However if you wanted the whitest natural color, then that would be B1.

You’re paying for these teeth so you certainly do have the right to pick whatever color that you want. If you have additional questions you should really discuss with your dentist as to which color is best for you. Our purpose was just to give you ideas as to what to do.