Cosmetic Dentistry- Tooth Whitening
Tooth
Whitening
Tooth whitening or commonly known as
bleaching is a very simple, painless
non-invasive procedure that is used to
mainly to change the natural color of
the tooth [enamel (hard covering around
teeth)]. Bleaching is an ideal way to
change your teeth and lighten them
(brighten) many shades, which will
greatly enhance and brighten up your
smile.
Tooth whitening has been around for
quite sometime now, but it has become
more popular in the past 10 years. Very
quickly bleaching has become the #1
aesthetic procedure and a big concern
for most patients. There are a variety
of ways of accomplishing whiter teeth.
Some people will prefer to use over the
counter (OTC) whitening products. These
are decent products, refer to our F.A.Q
about OTC whitening products
here.
Some patients ask why they do not bleach
as well as they would like to, refer to
our F.A.Q about bleaching questions by
clicking
here.
Basically in a nutshell, the potency of
the ingredients in OTC whitening
products cannot compare to the potency
of the products supplied by your
Dentist! For a longer lasting whiter
smile it is best to ask us about our
systems that we use and recommend. We
have a few systems we use that have
provided patients with the white smiles
they have always wanted!
The only downside to tooth whitening is
this. Tooth whitening only works on
natural enamel of teeth (so it will not
work on crowns, or any type of
fillings). What you and your dentist
would need to do is to sit down
(consultation) and decide what you would
like to do with your old crowns or
fillings. Ideally, you would remove the
old crowns or fillings, whiten your
teeth to a shade that you are satisfied
with. Then, you can go back later and
replace the crowns and fillings so the
shade matches your new natural teeth
color.
Tooth whitening is not permanent. You
may need to get them touched up every
few years. The whitening of your teeth
will fade away over the years, but even
sooner if you smoke, drink coffee, tea,
wine, soda, or any with a high refined
sugar content.
Reasons for whitening your
teeth:
- Yellow or brown stained teeth (from
smoking, drinking coffee, ect.)
- Normal wear and tear of teeth
- Some medications can stain your teeth
yellow (side effects --> dry mouth -->
yellow stain)
- Fluorosis (a large excess of
fluoridation during tooth development)
- Want to look your best for a special
occasion
What is involved in whitening your
teeth?
Our system of teeth
whitening will typically take about two
appointments. The first appointment will
be very informative and also we will
take an impression of your upper and
lower teeth. The impression will take a
highly precise mold of your teeth so a
dental lab can custom make trays that
will fit perfectly to your teeth!
After about 1-2 weeks they are made and
sent back to our office. The trays that
are made out of plastic, and they will
hold the whitening ingredients in them.
When your second appointment occurs your
trays will be ready to try on. If need
be minor adjustments will be made to
ensure a perfect fit and to make sure
that your teeth get as white as
you want them to!
You wear the trays every night for about
30 minutes or if instructed you would
wear them overnight. This process will
continue for one month or longer. It
will all depend on the amount of
staining on your teeth and what shade
(how light) of teeth you prefer. Some
patients will experience a slight
sensitivity in their teeth, this is
completely normal. Tooth sensitivity
will quickly subside after your
bleaching is completed.
After the procedure
you will be given post procedural care
instructions. As with any examination or
procedure good oral hygiene practices
(diet, brushing, mouthwash, flossing)
and regular dental examination visits
will be encouraged to maintain the life
of your white and bright smile.
