Teeth Whitening
Tooth Whitening Makes Your Smile Sparkle! Statistics reveal that Americans place a high value on their smile. According to an American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry® national survey:
92% of Americans believe an attractive smile is an important social asset. 85% of Americans believe an unattractive smile makes a person less appealing to the opposite sex. 74% of Americans believe an unattractive smile can hurt a person's chances for career success. 50% of Americans are not satisfied with the appearance of their own smile. If you are not happy with your smile, tooth whitening may provide the solution. Tooth Whitening procedures can help lighten coffee-stained teeth, remove cigarette and tobacco discolorations and correct yellowing in teeth due to aging. In general, bleaching works for most people. Tooth bleaching is most effective if your teeth are darkened from age, coffee, tea or smoking. Teeth darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange respond better to lightening. Other types of gray stains caused by fluorosis, smoking or tetracycline can be lightened, but with less-than-satisfactory results.
As in any dental procedure, it is recommended that you consult with your dentist to find out which tooth whitening procedure is best for you. The following are two options for whitening your teeth.
In-Office Power Whitening is a whitening gel containing a high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide is applied to the teeth. In-office whitening often can be accomplished in one visit to the dentist. Chair side bleaching involves applying either a protective gel to your gums or a rubber shield to protect the soft tissues in the mouth. A bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth, and a special light is used to enhance the chemical action. Home whitening may be recommended to enhance the benefits.
At-home whitening involves custom-made bleaching trays and syringes containing a safe bleaching gel. Teeth bleaching gels for home use are usually of thick viscosity, pleasant-tasting, and contain carbamide peroxide at different concentrations. At-home tooth whitening involves two short office visits. The first one is for taking impressions for the custom-fabricated trays and the second one to pick up the trays and the bleaching agent. One needs to wear the gel-containing trays only two or more hours for a few days. The teeth bleaching results on yellow/brown teeth are most dramatic. The trays can be adjusted to lighten individual teeth. The average patient will wear mouth trays one to two weeks. More severe stains can often be improved with extended use of the home whitening system.
Numerous over-the-counter tooth whitening products are now available, but dentist-supervised whitening remains the safest and most effective method for brightening your smile. Here are some key reasons why you should always consult with your dentist. Often, over-the-counter whitening trays do not fit the patient's mouth properly. Improperly fitting trays may leak the whitening gel and can result in gum irritation and a less effective treatment. With today's new dental supervised systems, even patients with sensitive teeth can undergo whitening treatment.
Teeth bleaching at home has no influence on the enamel wear rate. Carbamide peroxide does not damage surfaces of existing fillings. However, remember that fillings don't bleach.
In severe cases of dental staining, such as tetracycline stains, even a combination of power bleaching and professional teeth bleaching at home may not yield desirable results. In such cases, the only remedy would be porcelain veneers for a beautiful smile.
Be sure to consult with your dentist to find out which tooth whitening treatment is best for you. Tooth whitening remains one of the most economical ways to enhance your smile.
Drs. David and Deron Davenport, Family Dentists - Providing services in cosmetic dentistry to the area of Tucson, Arizona (AZ).
