Do You Want A Whiter, Brighter Smile? Check Out Your Options For Tooth Whitening

Posted on: 13 October 2016

Your smile can make a huge difference in your self-confidence and self-esteem, so taking steps to ensure your teeth are healthy is important. You may have no cavities and you may brush your teeth twice a day every day, but your teeth still have discoloration and stains. Learn more about how you can have whiter, healthier-looking teeth.

Tooth Whitening In Your Dentist's Office

One of the best ways to whiten your smile is at your dentist's office. Many people today visit their local pharmacy or department store for purchasing tooth-whitening kits they use at home. However, you should know that home tooth-whitening kits are not as effective as the whitening procedures done by your dentist. Your dentist can provide tooth-whitening using stronger bleaching material than the the peroxide you would get in a kit designed for home use. At your dentist, you can have the following whitening procedures:

  • Whitening in the dental chair involves a dental technician making a mold of your teeth. Once the mold is made, you will have another appointment made to visit your dentist and a customized tray will be placed in your mouth. Before the tray is put in your mouth, it is filled with a bleaching agent. The tray will fit perfectly over your teeth because it was made using the mold taken of your teeth at your previous visit. The amount of time the tray remains in your mouth is determined by how discolored and stained your teeth are.
  • Your dentist may perform laser-whitening for your teeth. When a laser is used to whiten your teeth, a tooth-whitening agent is applied to your teeth. The light from the laser works to accelerate the whitening effects of the agent, penetrating it and removing stains on a deeper level. Laser-whitening is a faster process for whitening your teeth.

Whitening Techniques For People With Dental Prosthetics Like Crowns

If you have crowns or a dental bridge, whitening used for natural teeth will not work on them. If you have stained on your crowns, your dentist will tell you how to remove them. However, your natural teeth around a crown or bridge can be whitened using the laser technique. Bear in mind that if your natural teeth are discolored or stained, it is likely your crowns or bridge is as well, having more than one treatment done for whitening both your natural teeth and your dental prosthetics is best. Your dentist can help you learn more about whitening your crowns or bridges.

Caring for your teeth can include whitening procedures. If you are worried about the discoloration and stains on your teeth, visit your dentist (like those at Accent On Dentistry - Rowena R Martir DMD) to discuss having them whitened.

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