TEETH WHITENING
Looking for a smile makeover? Professional teeth whitening is an affordable, painless, and easy dental service that can enhance your appearance.
Professional teeth whitening is also a good investment to significantly improve your appearance and confidence. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, when asked people what they’d most like to improve about their smile, the most common response was whiter teeth.
Professional teeth whitening can give you much more dramatic results than over-the-counter products. A dentist can lighten deeper staining that whitening toothpastes or even whitening strips can’t touch while avoiding damage to your mouth.
What Causes Tooth Discoloration?
Even if you brush and floss regularly, yellowing of teeth is a common occurrence as we age. This happens when our enamel – the protective outer layer of a tooth – becomes thinner, allowing more of the underlying dentin to show.
Aside from age-related yellowing, other causes of teeth discoloration may include:
Smoking.
Drinks such as tea, coffee, and red wine.
Certain medications.
Poor oral hygiene.
Physical injury to the mouth.
Benefits of Teeth Whitening
The safest and most effective and comfortable way to get sparkling, healthy teeth is by seeking personalized, professional treatment from a qualified dental professional. Our whitening services can make your teeth several shades lighter, whether the discoloration is age-related, from staining food and beverages, or prior oral injury.
Reinforced by a routine of dental checkups and good oral health care at home, the results of professional teeth whitening are reliable and long-lasting.
How Does Professional Teeth Whitening Work?
Professional teeth whitening is customized to you. Your dentist will examine your teeth and take X-rays as part of your regular dental care. Then, we will create a mold of your teeth, creating the best-fitting trays for your whitening treatment. We will also provide you with recommendations to get you the exact level of brightness you want. The length of time you wear the trays, the numbers of days in row you wear them, and the frequency of whitening cycles per year can all affect the whiteness of your teeth.
Our dentist-prescribed whitening trays use a gel with a lower concentration of peroxide, reducing the risk of gum sensitivity. For those with more sensitivity, we offer a sensitivity reduction gel that you can alternate with whitening gel to make it more comfortable.
Am I a Good Candidate for Professional Whitening?
The overall health of your teeth and gums is the most important part of your dental care. Prior to any whitening treatment, we will do an exam to ensure there are no serious dental issues that need to be resolved, such as fillings or extractions. Attempting to whiten damaged or decaying teeth will not provide good results and can negatively impact your dental health. For very severely stained teeth, crowns or veneers may be more appropriate.
Is Professional Whitening Better than At-Home Whitening?
Whitening toothpastes generally take up to six weeks to produce visible effects. They typically contain chemicals to break down stains and mild abrasives to polish the teeth. While whitening toothpastes can remove surface blemishes, they cannot lighten deeper stains or change the natural color of teeth.
DIY bleaching gels and strips are available to treat stains that go deeper than the tooth surface. Because they remain in contact with the teeth longer than toothpaste, they are more effective but can irritate your gums and increase tooth sensitivity. Some over-the-counter bleaching kits can even harm tooth enamel. Recent studies have shown that whitening teeth with bleaching products that contain hydrogen peroxide can endanger tooth health.
While professional whitening treatments may cost more than over-the-counter whitening, they may end up being less expensive in the long run. Many people buy multiple whitening products before they see any results.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Customized professional teeth whitening can boost your confidence by eliminating embarrassment from stained or yellowed teeth. We can restore your gleaming smile in no time.
The whitening experts at Smile New Braunfels have extensive experience in all facets of general dentistry and dental treatment, including teeth whitening. Let us help you decide if this type of cosmetic dentistry is a good way to improve your smile.
Schedule your appointment with Smile New Braunfels today!