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Teeth Whitening

Do you want to smile confidently? There is one way to do it; whiten your smile. There are typically two options to whiten your smile. One is through drugstore kits, and the other is getting professional treatments. Drugstore kits are a quick and less expensive solution for whitening your smile. Professional treatment, however, delivers the best and long-lasting results. 

A person’s bright smile can be an asset to their personality, but not everyone has achieved this luxury. Many use off-the-shelf whitening toothpaste and kits to make their teeth look brighter. Although it looks like the toothpaste or kit was effective, they failed to tackle deep stains on the teeth, which then remain in your mouth for a lifetime. 

You can get professional teeth whitening services from Bright Now! Dental. We will make your teeth look brighter than ever. You will be able to smile confidently in front of the world. Our service is office-based, but we also prescribe take-home kits to make your smile ten times brighter. The professional treatment will also remove the stains under the outer layer of enamel that is barely visible. 

What is teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening (or bleaching) is a simple, non-invasive dental treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel and is an ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile.

Because having whiter teeth has now become the number one aesthetic concern of most patients, there are a number of ways to whiten teeth.  The most popular method is using a home teeth whitening system that will whiten teeth dramatically.  Since teeth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate the replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc.  Replacement of any restorations will be done after bleaching so they will match the newly bleached teeth.

Teeth whitening is not permanent. A touch-up may be needed every several years and, more often, if you smoke or drink coffee, tea, or wine.

Reasons for teeth whitening:

  • Fluorosis (excessive fluoridation during tooth development).
  • Normal wear of outer tooth layer.
  • Stained teeth due to medications (tetracycline, etc.).
  • Yellow, brown stained teeth.

What does teeth whitening involve?

This type of teeth whitening usually requires two visits.  At the first appointment, impressions (molds) will be made of your teeth to fabricate custom, clear plastic trays.

You will try on the trays for a proper fit at your second appointment, and adjustments will be made if necessary. The trays are worn with a special whitening solution either twice a day for 30 minutes or overnight for a couple of weeks, depending on the degree of staining and desired level of whitening. It is normal to experience tooth sensitivity while whitening your teeth, but it will subside after you have stopped bleaching.

You will receive care instructions for your teeth and trays and be encouraged to visit your dentist regularly to help maintain a beautiful, healthy white smile.

Why Choose Whitening Services?

Many products are available in the market that offers brighter and whiter teeth. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), your dentist recommends a dental-office procedure if you want to whiten your teeth. This means that using at-home products and kits is the accurate solution to your smile because there are high chances that a layman will fail to use these products properly. The options you can avail yourself of at home are sometimes too abrasive and can also cause damage to your teeth. 

ADA has explained “whitening” teeth as any process that will make your teeth appear bright and white. The whitening procedure can take place in two ways, as mentioned already. Bleach is a whitening product that consists of peroxide to help remove stubborn surface stains from the teeth. That is why the teeth are bleached to enhance their natural color. On the other hand, a non-bleaching product will only help remove surface stains. 

Bleaching vs. Whitening: What’s the Difference?

The FDA states that “bleaching” may only be used when teeth can be made considerably whiter than their original color. This only applies to goods that include hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, the active ingredient in bleach.

On the other hand, “whitening” describes restoring a tooth’s surface color by removing debris and stains. Therefore, legally, any item used to clean the teeth (such as toothpaste) is regarded as a whitener. Even when describing goods containing bleach, the term “whitening” is usually used because it sounds better than “bleaching.”

The bleaching process is preferred when the whitening procedure is done within the dental office. Because time is limited, bleaching would be potent and fast-acting hydrogen peroxide. The range of hydrogen peroxide in bleach ranges from nine percent to forty percent. 

In contrast, the slower-acting carbamide peroxide, which decomposes into hydrogen peroxide, is the bleach of choice for at-home teeth whitening. Carbamide peroxide has a strength that is equivalent to one-third of hydrogen peroxide. This indicates that a carbamide peroxide solution at 15 percent is about similar to a hydrogen peroxide solution at 5 percent.

An Examination of Tooth Enamel:

Tooth enamel consists of microscopic crystalline rods. It is specifically designed to protect the teeth from the adverse effects of chewing, gnashing, and acid attacks by sugar. However, the enamel starts wearing down as time passes. It becomes transparent and allows the yellow color of the dentin to begin appearing. 

When you routinely chew the food, dentin doesn’t move at all. At the same time, millions of micro-cracks occur in the enamel. These cracks are the spaces between the crystalline enamel rods. The cracks have the purpose of filling up debris and stains slowly. After some time, you will see that your teeth have become dull and lackluster. 

The enamel cracks are left open and exposed after teeth whitening eliminates the stains and debris. Saliva quickly re-mineralizes some gaps, while organic waste quickly fills up others.

Benefits of Using Teeth Whitening Services:

We all have been taught to brush and floss our teeth daily to have bright and healthy teeth. Still, many people are insecure about their smiles and feel like they lack sparkle in their teeth. American Academy of Cosmetic Industry asked people what they would like to improve their teeth. 

The majority of the responses were in favor of whiter teeth. Moreover, the American Association of Orthodontists found that almost 90% of their patients wanted tooth whitening treatment. 

When is teeth whitening not recommended? 

For multiple reasons, your dentist may not recommend teeth whitening. Those reasons could be: 

  • Sensitive teeth:

If one has sensitive teeth, the chemical elements used in the professional whitening treatment can worsen the condition of their teeth. A whitening treatment on sensitive teeth may make eating, drinking, and brushing more painful. In such cases, dentists usually recommend their patients first apply a sensitive toothpaste to eradicate the effects of sensitivity so they can undergo whitening treatment. 

  • Gum disease:

When pockets are created in between your teeth and gums, it is called gum disease. Undergoing whitening treatment with gum disease may bring you pain and sensitivity. This is because the chemical elements may get into the pockets. Therefore, you should treat your gum disease before going for a professional whitening treatment. 

  • Tooth decay:

If you have cavities, your dentist will not perform your tooth whitening treatment. If you want brighter and whiter teeth, you must get your cavity filled to undergo whitening treatment. 

  • Restorations: 

Your dentist can advise you against getting professional whitening treatments if you have substantial tooth restorations like crowns or bonding. Professional teeth whitening won’t harm the crowns or the bonding material, but it won’t alter the color. Your restorations will probably be darker than your natural teeth and more noticeable if you have your teeth whitened.

  • Stains caused by antibiotic use:

If there are antibiotic stains on your teeth, then the professional whitening treatment would not be able to remove that. Your dentist would recommend crowns instead of a whitening treatment if there are bluish gray stains as a side effect of taking tetracycline. 

What Are Teeth Whitening Options?

There are four ways to brighten one’s smile: 

  • Stain Removal Toothpaste:

All the toothpaste that is available on the market can remove the surface stain. However, toothpaste with extra polishing agents will not just remove the stains but are also safe for your teeth. These toothpastes have earned the ADA seal of Acceptance for stain removal. You can find that on the package. 

  • In-Office Bleaching:

Chairside is a name for in-office bleaching. This process happens quickly and does not require more than one office visit. In this procedure, dentists first apply a protective gel or a rubber to shield your gums. Afterward, bleach is applied to whiten the teeth. 

  • At-Home Bleaching from Your Dentist:

Your dentist will prescribe you a custom-made tray with instructions for home bleaching. Patients usually prefer this option as they are more comfortable whitening their teeth in their comfort zone. But the guidance of the dentist should be strictly followed. 

  • Over-the-Counter Bleaching Products:

You might find many solutions online or at your neighborhood groceries shop, like toothpaste or whitening strips that bleach your teeth. Compared to what your dentist would use in the office, do these products have a lesser concentration of bleaching chemicals? 

If you’re considering using a store-bought bleaching kit, talk to your dentist about alternatives and look for one with the ADA Seal of Acceptance. That indicates that it has been proven secure and efficient for tooth whitening.

Does Teeth Whitening Work on All Teeth?

It is essential to discuss with your dentist if you plan on having a teeth whitening procedure. This is because whitening cannot be done on every tooth, and you should know if yours is one of them or not. 

Yellow teeth can be bleached well, but brown or gray teeth may not respond well to bleaching. Also, whitening does not work on crowns or fillings. So, talking with a dentist is necessary before undergoing a whitening treatment. 

How White Can You Go? A Matter of Esthetics:

The results of whitening vary from person to person. Many patients are usually satisfied with the results, but some are disappointed. That is why it is essential to consult your dentist to know how much whitening would brighten your teeth and how long-lasting the effect would be.

Shade Guides:

  • The tooth color is typically measured with shade guides in the dental office. There are hand-held displays of tooth colors available in different ranges. 
  • The Vitapan Classic Shade Guide has long been the industry standard among them. This shade guide standard offers a common language for describing tooth colors and includes 16 shades that are methodically ordered from light to dark into four color groups.
  • Occasionally, whitening lightens the teeth’ color by nine or more shades. However, bleached teeth can show two to seven shades. 

Maintaining Your Results:

If you want a long-lasting effect on your freshly whitened teeth, read below the recommendations of the dentists: 

  • Perform at-home maintenance whitening once a year. 
  • After whitening, avoid dark-colored food and drinks for at least a week. 
  • Try to sip dark-colored beverages with a straw. 

Final Verdict:

One of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures is teeth whitening, which offers a quick, non-invasive, and reasonably priced approach to improving a smile. The treatment is neither so high on the budget nor time-consuming and is valued by men and women. You can get the treatment at a dental office or cosmetic spa or get it done at home using bleaching kits prescribed by your dentist or purchased from a local drugstore.  

Cal dentistry is the right place for you if you want teeth whitening services. We offer affordable services at our convenient retail locations. Our dentists will help you determine which whitening treatment suits you. 

Call our Chino Hills dentist office today at (909) 393-5456 to brighten your smile.

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