Overview:
Brightening your smile is as easy as visiting your dentist for a whitening treatment. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can greatly improve how your teeth look. Tooth whitening lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration
The most common reasons for teeth to get yellow or stained are:
- Using tobacco
- Drinking dark-colored liquids such as coffee, cola, tea and red wine
- Not taking good care of your teeth
How It's Done:
In-office whitening usually takes 60 to 90 minutes. We offer the most advanced system for teeth whitening, the POLA White system. First, the dental assistant will apply a substance that covers and protects the gums around the teeth. Then, the whitening agent which is a gel containing hydrogen peroxide will be placed on the teeth. The in-office whitening treatment is usually followed by home whitening for several weeks. For whitening at home, your dentist can make trays to hold the whitening gel that fit your teeth precisely. Home whitening gel usually needs to be applied daily for two to three weeks.
Follow-Up:
Whitening is not a permanent solution. It will need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain the brighter color. The stains will come back. If you smoke or consume a lot of staining foods or drinks, you may see the whiteness start to fade in as little as one month. If you avoid these sources of staining, you may not need another whitening treatment for 6 to 12 months.
Re-whitening can be done in the dentist's office or at home. If you have a custom-made mouthpiece and whitening agent at home, you can whiten your teeth as often as you need to. Discuss your whitening schedule with your dentist. You can talk about what whitening products would work best for you.
Risks:
Whitening is unlikely to cause serious side effects, although some people's teeth may become more sensitive for a short while. You may get mild gum irritation as well. Women should not have their teeth whitened while pregnant. The effect of the whitening materials on the development of the fetus is not known. Since the procedure is cosmetic, it should be postponed until after delivery.
If you feel your teeth would benefit from whitening, please contact us and we will discuss the procedure with you.