Teeth whitening is a part of cosmetic dentistry and a great way to spruce up your smile. At Le Sueur Family Dental, patients are promised some of the best teeth whitening services in the city that will impressively transform their smiles and increase their confidence. The in-office teeth whitening services offered in our dental office incorporate a professional approach with economical but top-of-the-line techniques to provide patients with satisfying and immediate results.
How is Teeth Whitening Done?
While many over-the-counter teeth whitening products are available in the market today, they do not provide the same results that can be achieved through professional whitening. An in-office teeth whitening treatment done by a dentist can drastically improve the shade of a patient’s teeth in a much shorter time span compared to at-home methods. The steps involved in teeth whitening are generally the same standard procedure carried out by all dentists, with a few occasionally different details.
The dentist first exposes all of the patient’s teeth that need to be bleached with the help of a cheek retractor. This usually includes just the anterior teeth that are visible when the patient smiles.
A protective resin is then applied onto the gum tissue to protect it from any kind of irritation from the bleaching agent.
The bleaching agent, which usually contains hydrogen peroxide as the primary component, is applied onto the surfaces of the teeth and left for a requisite period of time, according to the type of whitening results desired by the patient. This usually varies between 15-30 minutes. The dentist may incorporate the use of curing lights or lasers to increase the speed and outcome of the procedure.
The bleaching agent is then washed off and maybe re-applied based on the results obtained after the first application.
A single appointment for the teeth whitening procedure may last anywhere from 45-60 minutes. Your dentist may advise multiple follow-up sittings for the whitening procedure based on the type of stains and the type of whitening results desired. Occasionally, patients may be given customized bleaching trays as well to continue the whitening treatment at home.
Teeth generally appear considerably lighter immediately after the whitening procedure due to the dehydration of the teeth. The actual results of the treatment can be appreciated only after a few days.
Who Can Benefit from Teeth Whitening?
If you suffer from tooth stains that have accumulated over time due to certain drinks like coffee, wines, dark-colored foods, etc., teeth whitening may be the best option for you to improve the appearance of your smile. Age-related yellowing or darkening of teeth or an overall dental discoloration also benefit significantly from teeth whitening. Such types of stains are known as organic stains, with yellowed teeth responding best to whitening treatments.
Certain types of inorganic stains, however, do not respond well to professional or in-office teeth whitening. These include teeth that have been darkened due to discoloration of the dentin after enduring trauma, tetracycline staining, or over-exposure to fluoride, causing fluorosis. Such teeth may require different forms of bleaching techniques that work from the inside instead of targeting surface stains.
Advantages of Professional Teeth Whitening:
It provides the quickest results.
Teeth whitening done in-office is the safest way to bleach your teeth. Improperly done teeth bleaching at home can lead to dental issues like gum irritation and tooth sensitivity.
