Here at Sedation Dental Care we have several options for making your smile whiter and brighter.
We offer:
- Zoom in office bleaching
- 1 week take home bleaching trays
Whitening
Overview
Everybody loves a bright white smile,
and there are a variety of products and procedures available
to help you improve the look of yours.
Many people are satisfied with the
sparkle they get from brushing twice daily with a fluoride-containing
toothpaste, cleaning between their teeth once a day
and the regular cleanings at your dentist’s office.
If you decide you would like to go beyond this to make
your smile look brighter, you should investigate all
of your options.
You can take several approaches to
whiten your smile:
- In-office bleaching;
- At-home bleaching;
- Whitening toothpastes
Frequently
Asked Questions
What
should you ask your dentist?
You may want to start by speaking
with your dentist. He or she can tell you whether whitening
procedures would be effective for you. Whiteners may
not correct all types of discoloration. For example,
yellow-ish hued teeth will probably bleach well, brownish-colored
teeth may bleach less well, and grayish-hued teeth may
not bleach well at all. Likewise, bleaching may not
enhance your smile if you have had bonding or tooth-colored
fillings placed in your front teeth. The whitener will
not effect the color of these materials, and they will
stand out in your newly whitened smile. In these cases,
you may want to investigate other options, like porcelain
veneers or dental bonding.
What
is in-office bleaching?
If you are a candidate for bleaching,
your dentist may suggest a procedure that can be done
in his or her office. This procedure is called chairside
bleaching and may require more than one office visit.
Each visit may take from 30 minutes to one hour.
During chairside bleaching, the dentist
will apply either a protective gel to your gums or a
rubber shield to protect the oral soft tissues. A bleaching
agent is then applied to the teeth, and a special light
may be used to enhance the action of the agent.
A number of in-office bleaching agents
have the ADA Seal of Acceptance, your assurance that
they have met ADA standards of safety and effectiveness.
Lasers have been used during tooth
whitening procedures to enhance the action of the whitening
agent. No whitening products using lasers currently
are on the ADA list of Accepted products.
What
are at-home procedures and products?
There are several types of products
available for use at home, which can either be dispensed
by your dentist or purchased over-the-counter.
Bleaching solutions.
These products contain peroxide(s), which actually
bleach the tooth enamel. These products typically
rely on percent carbamide peroxide as the bleaching
agent, carbamide peroxide comes in several different
concentrations (10%, 16%, 22%).
Peroxide-containing whiteners typically
come in a gel and are placed in a mouthguard. Usage
regimens vary. Some products are used for twice
a day for about 2 weeks, and others are intended for overnight
use for 1-2 weeks. If you obtain the bleaching solution
from your dentist, he or she can make a custom-fitted
mouthguard for you that will fit your teeth precisely.
Currently, only dentist-dispensed home-use 10% carbamide
peroxide tray-applied gels carry the ADA Seal.
You also may want to speak with your
dentist should any side effects become bothersome.
For example, teeth can become sensitive during the
period when you are using the bleaching solution.
In many cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should
lessen once the treatment is finished. Some people
also experience soft tissue irritation—either
from a tray that doesn’t fit properly or from
solution that may come in contact with the tissues.
If you have concerns about such side effects, you
should discuss them with your dentist.
Toothpastes.
All toothpastes help remove surface stain through
the action of mild abrasives. "Whitening" toothpastes
in the ADA Seal of Acceptance program have special
chemical or polishing agents that provide additional
stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaching your teeth, these
ADA Accepted products do not alter the intrinsic color
of teeth.
How
should I choose a whitening product?
When selecting a whitener or any dental
product, be sure to look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance, your
assurance that they have met ADA standards of safety
and effectiveness.
|
