A lot of people are often asking "How can I achieve a brighter smile?" "Should I whiten my teeth?" "Do the whitening strips work?" "Can I whiten my existing crowns and fillings?"
These are all very great questions, and we have the answers!
Why whiten my teeth ?
The benefit to having white teeth are pretty obvious. Self esteem is often boosted just by brightening up your teeth. When we smile we are often embarrassed if our teeth have a yellow tone- it isn't uncommon, but whitening definitely could benefit you if you're having some staining/darkening! Often times we have issues with teeth darkening/yellowing if we drink a lot of coffee, soda, tea, etc. Living in a world where we are constantly go-go-go, I would expect nothing less than a cup of coffee (or 3) daily- and to ask patients to give that up would be absurd. Whitening would be a great option for you if you are having the dark stain or yellow tones. It also gives you a more youthful appearance when your smile is brighter.
How to achieve whitening?
There are over the counter strips that you can purchase, and they work for some people, I myself have tried MULTIPLE whitening strips- and drugstore products... nothing has seemed to help me as much as actual in house whitening, or whitening trays from a dental office. I have studied, tested, and reviewed on what products are preferable, why some work better than others, what ingredients are being used, just to try to be able to
1) make sure that I am achieving the best results for myself
2) make sure that the ingredients are not harmful to me
3) know I am actually getting the bang for my buck, and not getting taken advantage of in a "gimmick" type sales pitch
The whitening strups- as I stated before they do work for some people, however they only fully cover the surface layer of your teeth, and do not get "in between" leaving darker areas that give a shadow look compared to the extremely white areas.
Drugstore whitening trays are not custom to your smile, so they do not get your anatomy- so the actual trays do not have the best fit for you. The over the drugstore often sells whitening that is also harmful to your teeth, and extremely acidic. That long term can do more harm than good. Also, anything "charcoal scrub" is a HUGE NO- it is extremely abrasive and you should avoid it at all cost!
There have been several whitening take home kits from dental offices that have worked to give me a brighter smile, but a lot have caused me severe sensitivity- even after using Sensodyne, or alternative sensitive tooth pastes. Opalescence Whitening has been a GAME CHANGER for me- it continuously keeps my teeth white, I use it on the go- I drop a few drops in my clear custom tray- for 15-30 minutes, and then I rinse with room temperature water after and I see visible instant results- i can do it one or two times a week to keep them ultra white- but often times I whiten 2/3 times in a week before an event and then they stay so white I don't have to whiten again for a few week/month later. I have no issues with sensitivity when I use Opalescence, as compared to ZOOM whitening products (I love ZOOM, great whitening results- but so sensitive after!!) . This has been an amazing product that I recommend to anyone! People are always asking me about my teeth and how I keep them so white, and honestly it is very low maintenance. (I drink coffee daily also) The trays are clear so you can even wear them at work and keep the gel in your desk and just pop them in when you desire- due to its custom fit it is not bulky.
**We also have an in house whitening - it is the same brand but it has instant same day results up to 3 shades darker within the hour and it comes with take home trays to maintain your smile. This is another great option if you need a brighter smile FAST. The ingredients are NON TOXIC and you will be pleasantly surprised with the outcome after whitening!
Can I whiten my crowns?
Unfortunately crowns do not whiten seeing as they are porcelain- crowns are permanently the shade that they are when they are placed. If you are wanting to have a brighter smile and you have some mismatched shades/dark crowns- you would need to have a consultation to discuss a cosmetic restoration --- and remake the existing crowns. The teeth around crowns will whiten, and we can match the crown shade to the new brighter shade. The end result would be absolutely beautiful, and we will walk you through that every step of the way!
When can I get whitening?
We offer whitening at anytime, however it is always recommended to get a cleaning/checkup before to verify that your teeth have no existing decay that could raise an issue whenever you begin your whitening journey. Once you have a consult- you are all clear and we can get you impressions the same day!
I hope this helped you get a better understanding on whitening and the importance of knowing your product before using. Whether you use Opalescence or any other product, always be safe and consult with your dentist!
If you would like to set up a consultation, give us a call.
(205) 739-2175
-Darla Grace DeShazo