Tag: teeth whitening litchfield

An estimated 80 percent of adults want a better smile, which most people relate with having whiter and brighter teeth. As a result, teeth whitening has become very popular in recent years. Bleaching or teeth whitening involves lightening the shade of your natural teeth and removing stains and discoloration. Whitening can greatly improve the appearance of your teeth and smile.

Why Do Teeth Get Discolored?

The color of your natural teeth is created when light is reflected and scattered off the outer layer of the tooth (known as enamel), combined with the color of the underneath tooth layer (dentin). The thickness and smoothness of tooth enamel is unique to every person as it depends on your genes. Thinner enamel means that more of the dentin color will show through. Additionally, smoother or rougher enamel affects how light is reflected, and therefore, the tooth color.

Every day, a thin film (pellicle) forms on the surface of the enamel, which makes it easy for stains to stick to the tooth. Enamel also contains tiny pores that can hold stains if you don’t clean your teeth properly. 

Some of the reasons for teeth discoloration include:

• Age – tooth enamel is naturally white, but it thins over time due to normal wear, allowing the yellowish dentin to show 
• Fluorosis – teeth darkening due to excessive fluoride consumption 
• Food and drink – tea, coffee, red wine, and other food items contain intense color pigments known as chromogens that bond to tooth enamel, causing discoloration 
• Tobacco use – chewing and smoking tobacco exposes you to two chemicals responsible for creating stubborn stains: nicotine and tar
• Illness – early tooth decay or illness during tooth development can also cause spots on your teeth 
• Medications – tooth discoloration can be a side effect of taking certain medication, like antihistamines and antipsychotics. Fetuses and babies may also be at risk of tooth discoloration of the adult teeth if exposed to antibiotics like doxycycline and tetracycline. 
• Calculus – accumulated plaque can also reduce the sparkle of your teeth 

Anyone Can Enjoy a Whiter Smile

If you desire a brighter smile, you should discuss with a dentist near you about your suitability for teeth whitening to reduce staining and discoloration. This will help to improve your appearance and make you less self-conscious so you can smile more. Schedule your appointment today. 

Is tooth whitening safe?

Yes. The procedure is safe and effective when done by a dentist during the first visit, and under a dentist’s supervision for subsequent treatments. That said, everyone should first visit a dentist for a thorough examination and diagnosis to ensure you’re a good candidate for a safe, brighter, whiter smile.

How does teeth whitening work?

The bleaching product (usually hydrogen peroxide) is applied on the surface of your teeth using trays that fit snugly on your teeth. The trays stay in place for a short period of time to break down the agent into oxygen, which then penetrates tooth enamel to change the shade of your teeth.

How is teeth whitening different from polishing?

Polishing is done during professional teeth cleaning in order to remove surface stains caused by colored drinks like tea and red wine, tobacco products, foods, and so on. However, polishing cannot change the color of yellowing or stained teeth. Teeth cleaning can help you remove deep stains and discoloration that won’t go away with routine cleaning and polishing.

Will I achieve the results I want?

Yes. Most cases of tooth whitening are successful. That said, the treatments work differently depending on the extent of discoloration or staining at the start of the procedure. Fortunately, your dentist will discuss with you about your treatment plan and inform you beforehand about the best way to whiten your teeth, any difficulties, and even the expected results. This is because dentists are trained to:

• Choose the best treatment plan for your case;
• Estimate the improvement in shade that you will achieve; and
• Inform you how long your treatment will last.

Are there situations when tooth whitening might not work?

Tooth whitening only helps to improve the shade of your natural teeth. This means that it may not be successful when used on:

• Teeth with exposed roots
• Teeth that have been restored with fillings, crowns, veneers, or have received root treatments
• Unhealthy teeth

Please consult your dentist to discuss the expected results of your teeth whitening treatment.

Tooth whitening provides you with a way to improve the color of your teeth and ultimately enhance your smile. There are many reasons why you may need to consider whitening your teeth, including natural discoloration from aging and stains caused by using tobacco products, some types of antibiotics, and colored foods and drinks like red wine, coffee, and tea.

What to expect

If you want to get rid of the stains and discoloration on your teeth, it’s best if you consult your dentist to design a personalized treatment plan. A treatment that worked well for a family member or colleague may not necessarily yield the best results for your case. This is because each treatment is designed based on the current shade of teeth and the desired outcome.

Professional teeth whitening is the most common bleaching method, and is usually accomplished using hydrogen peroxide or another bleaching agent. The dental team will first put some gel or a rubber shield to protect your gums before applying the bleaching agent on your teeth using some trays that fit snugly like a mouthguard. Leaving the trays on will cause the active ingredient to break down and oxygen to penetrate tooth enamel and change the shade of your teeth. A laser may be used to speed up the breakdown for faster results.

Keeping your teeth white

After your whitening treatment, the effects can last for a long period of time if you practice proper oral hygiene like brushing your teeth twice a day and scheduling dental visits for professional cleaning every six months or as recommended by your dentist. Avoiding colored and/or sugary foods and drinks, as well as stopping smoking can also help to prevent staining and discoloration.

Please visit your dentist to learn more about teeth whitening options that may work for you.

People can tell a lot from the shade of your teeth, including your age, state of oral health, and even your good and bad habits. And since everyone wants to look young and well groomed, teeth whitening has become one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in dentistry.

The advancements in tooth care have made the treatment more comfortable, predictable, long-lasting and affordable for all people. Although there are many effective ways to whiten your teeth, they vary depending on the treatment time and frequency, type of stain that can be removed, and the level of whitening that can be achieved.

There are many different teeth whitening methods available:

Professionally applied bleaching treatment:

With in office tooth whitening, the dentist applies a low concentration of bleach to the surface of your teeth using trays that fit snugly around your top and bottom teeth. After the in-office treatment, your dentist may give you some hydrogen peroxide gel and custom-made trays to continue your treatment at home for a specific period of time to maximize the teeth bleaching results

Dentist-prescribed treatment:

Your dentist will provide you with a home whitening kit containing trays and granules that have been tailor-made for your teeth. Whitening at home is a gradual process, but starts to show color payoff in two weeks or so.

Which option is the best?

It’s best to consult a dentist for a thorough examination of your teeth so your treatment can be tailored to your unique needs. During your first appointment for professional teeth cleaning, your dentist will examine your teeth carefully, review your oral health history, and then determine whether bleaching is right for you. Please visit your dentist today to discuss your teeth whitening goals and smile concerns.

Your smile may gradually lose its sparkle regardless of how thorough your oral hygiene routine is. Although daily brushing and flossing as well as scheduling professional teeth cleanings can help prevent stains, age-related factors such as taking medications, smoking, drinking wine or tea can lead to yellow or brown teeth.

Tooth whitening provides a way to improve your teeth’s color and enhance your smile. You should discuss your desired outcome and current tooth shade with a dentist to design a personalized treatment plan. Professional teeth whitening is often the preferred method for many people, and it’s accomplished using hydrogen peroxide or a similar agent.

The treatment is performed by a dentist during the first appointment, and then under one’s supervision for subsequent treatments to ensure safety and effectiveness of the treatment.

The procedure involves:

• Placing a rubber shield or some gel to protect your gums
• Applying the bleaching agent on your teeth using some trays that fit snugly like a mouthguard
• Leaving the trays on to activate the bleaching ingredient and break it down into oxygen that penetrates tooth enamel to change the shade of your teeth
• A laser may be used to speed up the breakdown for faster results. This requires application of a higher concentration of the bleaching agent without using the trays, and then using laser technology to activate it. This improves the color of your teeth by 5-6 shades.

After your whitening treatment, the effects can last for longer if you practice proper oral hygiene. Please visit your dentist to learn more about teeth whitening options that may work for you.

If you’re planning to get your teeth whitened, it’s important that you do your research to find the right dentist and dental practice. The bleaching procedure is generally safe and effective when done by a dentist during the first visit, and under a dentist’s supervision for subsequent treatments. That said, everyone should first visit a dentist for a thorough examination and diagnosis to ensure you’re a good candidate for a safe, brighter, whiter smile.

Here are some questions to help you choose the right dentist:

Can teeth cleaning and polishing brighten my teeth without bleaching?

Professional teeth cleaning and polishing is done in order to remove calculus and surface stains caused by colored drinks like tea and red wine, tobacco products, foods, and so on. However, this will not change the color of stained or yellowing teeth. Teeth cleaning can help you remove deep stains and discoloration that won’t go away with routine cleaning and polishing.

How is in-office teeth whitening done?

The dentist applies a bleaching product (usually hydrogen peroxide) on the surface of your teeth using trays that fit snugly on your teeth. The trays stay in place for a short period of time to break down the agent into oxygen, which then penetrates tooth enamel to change the shade of your teeth.

Will I achieve the results I want?

Yes. Most cases of tooth whitening are successful. That said, the treatments work differently depending on the extent of discoloration or staining at the start of the procedure. Fortunately, your dentist will discuss with you about your treatment plan and inform you beforehand about the best way to whiten your teeth, any difficulties, and even the expected results.

Can teeth whitening be done outside a dentist’s office?

It’s recommended that you consult a dentist to design your bleaching plan that can then be done in the office or at home with a customized teeth whitening kit. This is important because dentists are trained to choose the best treatment plan for your case; estimate the improvement in shade that you will achieve; and inform you how long your treatment will last.

In which situations might tooth whitening be unsuccessful?

Tooth whitening only helps to improve the shade of your natural teeth. This means that it may not be successful when used on unhealthy teeth, teeth with exposed roots, or teeth that have been restored with fillings, crowns, veneers, or have received root treatments. 

Please consult your dentist to discuss your bleaching plan and the expected results of your teeth whitening treatment.