Teeth Whitening Procedures Performed to Ensure a Brighter Smile

A nice smile gives you confidence to do many things and it helps you to warm up to other people. Teeth whitening procedures give you an opportunity to get whiter and brighter teeth for a brighter smile. There are bleaching procedures as well as cosmetic restorative procedures that can give you the ideal opportunity for a brighter smile. Whitening procedures have been undertaken for more than one hundred years. The whitening options include:

In-office Bleaching

This procedure is undertaken in a dental clinic and it can be performed in less than an hours time. The procedure is slightly expensive compared to other methods. Nevertheless, the results are immediate and long-lasting, hence being a worthy choice.

Teeth Whitening Strips

The whitening strips are available in many drug stores. They are sold over-the-counter and they are fairly inexpensive and easy to use. Teeth whitening strips take longer to generate the desired results. However, it depends on the peroxide level contained in the strips. Make sure you consult a professional before using them to avoid damaging your teeth.

Whitening Toothpaste

Teeth whitening toothpaste consists of a mild abrasive, which can remove, surface stains.  Several whitening toothpastes have extra polishing agents with special chemicals, which are effective against stains compared with regular toothpastes. However, whitening toothpastes are not manufactured to actually bleach the teeth.

Whitening Trays & Gels

Whitening trays & gels are effective. However, the desired result takes longer compared with the in-office bleaching method. The result depends on the peroxide available in the gel. Clear trays are often worn for several hours in a day or overnight. This could take from 3 days to several weeks before the results are noticed.

There are two types of whitening trays & gels those which are bought over the counter and those bought from the dentist.

Whitening kits purchased from the dentist office generate a faster effect because they contain stronger amounts of peroxide bleaching agents compared with the kits bought over the counter. Another benefit advanced by the dentist trays and gels is that they are custom designed to fit the teeth. Over the counter trays & gels are generic in size. Therefore, they may cause the bleaching agent to affect your gum, causing irritation.

Teeth Whitening Products

New whitening products are being introduced in the market including mouthwashes, dental floss and chewing gums. Nevertheless, these products are new hence research has not been performed to prove or disapprove their effectiveness as whitening products.

Call your South Tampa Dentist, Marnie Bauer DMD, for all of your dental needs – 813.839.2273

Teeth Whitening

Out of all the dental procedures in cosmetic dentistry being performed, teeth whitening ranks the highest. Whatever the reason, patients have been known to regain their confidence and self-esteem right after the whitening process.

What is teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening is simply a process that eliminates discoloration and stains on the teeth. The procedure also brightens the natural pigmentation of the teeth. The nature of the stains as well as the severity of the discoloration determines the degree of improvement after the treatment.

When your teeth become brown or yellow due to coffee, tea or smoking, stains will generally lighten four to five shades. Gray teeth caused by natural pigmentation or use of antibiotics will lighten two to three shades. Whatever the outcome, your teeth are noticeably brighter after teeth whitening. While there may be a number of over-the-counter teeth whiteners, only a dental professional can recommend the most effective teeth whiteners.

What are the techniques?

Today, there are two effective whitening techniques available – the in-office laser teeth whitening and at-home teeth whitening with custom-fit trays. These two techniques should be done under your dentist’s supervision to ensure safety.

Laser teeth whitening

The In-office teeth whitening is done with bleaching gel and laser light. This is a good method for teeth whitening for sensitive teeth and this process should be closely monitored by a Tampa cosmetic dentist. The process begins when the teeth are carefully isolated from the lips and gums. Next, a bleaching gel is applied to the teeth. A laser is used with the gel in order to amplify the teeth whitening process.

Are there teeth whitening methods that can be done at home?

For at-home teeth whitening, your South Tampa cosmetic dentist can take imprints of your teeth and then make custom-fitted trays for your use to complete your teeth whitening process. There are also a number of teeth bleaching kits available over the counter at drugstores. If instructions are followed to the letter, most of them are safe by general standards.

Whitening systems

Teeth whitening systems use in-office applications of gel to the teeth. Next, light is applied in order to activate the gel.

There are also a number of teeth whitening systems in the market including a variety of whitening toothpastes, paint-on whitening products and whitening strips.

Side effects

There are a number of whitening materials that have some side effects. The gel in many whitening methods makes the teeth sensitive to hot and cold foods, drinks and air temporarily. The trays used to bleach teeth can also cause sensitivity to the gums.

Some over the counter whitening products may wear down the teeth’s enamel if used too zealously. For this reason, it is recommended to undergo teeth whitening treatments under the supervision of a South Tampa cosmetic dentist.

Costs

Teeth whitening costs varies according to the type of methods – at home or in-office. In-office services cost from $100 to $800 and at-home bleaching trays custom-fitted by a dentist cost from $300 to $2,000.

Call your South Tampa Dentist, Marnie Bauer DMD, for all of your teeth whitening needs – 813.839.2273