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Tooth discoloration is a natural part of aging, but it’s still one of the most common reasons why people are self-conscious of their smiles. If you feel that your pearly whites have become dull and yellowed, we offer at-home teeth whitening kits that can turn this around. After just a couple of weeks of using your treatment as direction, you can give your smile back its shine! Give us a call to learn more and schedule your consultation!
Tooth discoloration can be caused by various factors, including aging, poor oral hygiene, tobacco use, pigmented beverages, sugary/acidic foods, medications, and genetic factors. Some types of discoloration can be prevented with excellent hygiene habits, but others are completely out of your control.
There are two types of stains, extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic stains occur on the surface of the teeth and are usually caused by food, beverages, and tobacco products. Intrinsic stains, on the other hand, are the result of medications so you should discuss this with your doctor if it is something that bothers you.
If you opt for at-home teeth whitening, we will begin by thoroughly examining your smile to ensure that you don’t have any existing oral health issues that could be aggravated with teeth whitening. Then, we will provide you with a kit containing custom trays that you will fill with a whitening solution and wear every day as instructed. After just a couple of weeks, you will see beautiful results.
The results of your treatment will last much longer if you take the time to maintain them. Here are some tips to help:
Whatever rumors or gossip you’ve heard, you can rest easily; teeth whitening doesn’t hurt. The treatment process shouldn’t cause any aches or pains for its patients.
Note that dentists tailor teeth whitening to each specific patient. Given this fact, treatment is much less likely to cause tooth sensitivity than over-the-counter methods are. You can trust your dental team to only give you the needed amount of bleaching gel, all without going “overboard.” They’d also ensure the applied gel doesn’t spill over or irritate your gums.
Of course, please tell the dental team if your teeth are prone to sensitivity. They can help you avoid aches by spacing out your treatments, suggesting specialty toothpaste, etc.
Teeth whitening is a very safe dental treatment, as it doesn’t harm your teeth, gums, or any other parts of your mouth. It enhances your smile’s looks without affecting your health.
You see, dentists always take precautions with teeth whitening. They make sure their smile-brightening products are vetted, well-tested, and approved by both the FDA and ADA. That way, they can ensure your treatment won’t cause any short or long-term health problems.
Such things can’t be said about over-the-counter whitening. Unlike pro treatment, it doesn’t adjust the percentage of bleaching gel used on your teeth. It also doesn’t provide custom trays that keep the gel from spreading to your gums. Due to these and similar issues, it can often harm your tooth enamel.
While the exact timing can vary, at-home teeth whitening usually takes a few weeks to work. You’ll only start to notice major results toward the end of that period.
You see, the at-home method uses a less intense bleaching gel. That means a patient must wear its gel-infused trays over their teeth for many days. Only after two weeks will the gel have removed many of your tooth stains, brightening your grin by several shades.
Given the facts above, you should get treatment weeks before major events. Doing so would ensure your smile is white and gleaming by the time any photos need to be taken.
Unfortunately, no – dental crowns can’t be whitened like natural teeth can. The caps aren’t affected by the professional whitening process.
It comes down to how whitening works in the first place. To remove your tooth stains, treatment applies bleaching gel that seeps into your enamel through pores. Dental crowns have no pores, so the gel can’t penetrate the caps’ inner layers.
With all that said, patients can still work around this problem. You could keep your crowns from discoloring by avoiding bad oral habits (i.e., smoking, drinking dark-colored liquids, etc.) Similarly, it’s also possible to replace a poorly shaded crown with one that better suits you.
