New Reasons to Smile
Although most people would like to smile with confidence, knowing
their teeth are white, shiny, and healthy looking...most people's
teeth are also prone to discoloration over time. Aging, drinking
coffee or tea, and using tobacco are some of the top culprits
behind this. Fortunately, there are a number of simple teeth
whitening methods that are simple, effective, safe, and quite
long-lasting. Several of the required products have even received
The American Dental Association's seal of approval. Our at-home
Night White system, for example, utilizes a 20% carbamide gel
that oxidizes upon contact with stained tooth enamel, cleaning
the stains without altering tooth structure in any way. And while
patients may occasionally experience slight, temporary gum irritation
or tooth sensitivity during the process, we control this with
careful supervision.
Evaluation
If you're considering whitening your teeth, simply talk with
Dr. Gatewood or Stephens regarding how the results could
impact your particular situation. We'll discuss with you
the criteria for best results, recognizing that some people
are simply better candidates than others for a successful
teeth whitening treatment. For example, if your teeth are darkened
to a yellow, brownish or orange tinge due to age, coffee,
tea, or smoking, chances are very good that you'll be very
satisfied with the results of your whitening. In fact, about
90 percent of patients find this to be the case. However,
if your teeth are a dark gray tone from fluorosis, smoking
or tetracycline use, teeth whitening results may be less dramatic.
Further, it's important to know that whitening does not lighten
artificial materials such as resins, silicants or porcelains.
Finally, sensitive teeth, teeth with periodontal disease,
and teeth with worn enamel typically do not respond well
to teeth whitening.
Preparation
We find excellent success with our in-office laser whitening,
and/or and a dentist-supervised at–home whitening procedure.
The laser procedure simply involves use of our laser light
to powerfully activate the chemical teeth whitening gel after it's
applied to the teeth. Such treatments can sometimes be conducted
in as little as sixty to ninety minutes.
If you opt for the at-home whitening process, alone or in
combination with the laser technique, our first step is to
take impressions of your teeth. We send this to a dental laboratory
to create a comfortable, lightweight, customized whitening
'tray' appliance. These trays are comfortable enough to be
worn night or day, during conversation, working, sleeping,
etc. And what's even more important—their customized
fit assures an even gel distribution and continuous, close
gel contact with your particular teeth. Upon receipt of the
trays and usage instructions, we'll also provide you with all
the proper teeth whitening materials, your trays and a schedule of
recommended session lengths. Typically, a system including
two to four 'treatment' hours per day will require one to four
weeks to complete; those including nighttime wear may be completed
even sooner.
Exclamation!
Most people are absolutely amazed at the beautiful difference
a whiter, brighter smile can make. And although we can't
predict exactly how light your teeth will become, we generally
expect to see a two-shade improvement as indicated on our
office shade guide. Of course, it's important to note that
you can best preserve your new, brighter smile by eliminating
any habits such as smoking, drinking coffee, and drinking
tea. If you do notice that your teeth are less bright in
one to five years, you can choose to have a touch-up. In
fact, the second procedure is usually less costly than the
first, as the original teeth whitening trays may often be reused.
Second treatments generally require less treatment time,
as well.
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