With
recent advances in dental care, you can have an attractive
smile. You don't have to settle for stained, unsightly teeth.
Rather, you have choices that can help you smile with confidence.
A subtle change in your smile can make a big difference
in the way you look and feel about yourself. Talk to the
doctor about the options most suitable for you, what your
expectations are and the dental fees involved.
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 the dentist's office. However, 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 whiten your smile in one appointment with the doctor
or you can use an at home bleaching system (store-bought
or from your dental office) or whitening toothpaste.
You may want to start by
speaking with the doctor. 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-hued teeth will probably bleach well, brown-colored
teeth may bleach less well, and gray-hued teeth may not
bleach well at all. Likewise, bleaching may not enhance your
smile if you have had tooth-colored fillings placed in your
front teeth. The whitener will not affect 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.
If you are a candidate for
bleaching, the doctor may suggest a procedure that can be
done in our office. This procedure is called chair-side bleaching
and may require more than one office visit. Each visit may
take from sixty to ninety minutes.
During chair-side 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.
There are several
types of products available for use at home, which can either
be dispensed by the doctor or purchased over the counter.
Bleaching solutions
These products contain peroxide(s),
which actually bleach the tooth enamel. These products typically
rely on carbamide peroxide as the bleaching agent; carbamide
peroxide comes in several different concentrations (10%,
16% and 22%).
Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in a gel and
are placed in a mouthguard. Usage regimens vary. Some products
are used twice a day for two weeks, and others are intended
for overnight use for one to two weeks. If you obtain the bleaching
solution from the doctor, he or she can make a custom-fitted
mouthguard for you that will fit your teeth precisely. Currently,
only dentist-dispensed 10% carbamide peroxide tray-applied
gels carry the ADA Seal for at-home use.
You also may want to speak with the doctor should any side
effects become bothersome. For example, teeth can become
sensitive during the period when you are using the bleaching
solution. In most 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 the doctor.
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 bleaches, these ADA Accepted products
do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.
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.
There's no reason to put up with gaps in your teeth or
with teeth that are stained, badly shaped or crooked. Today
a veneer placed on top of your teeth can correct nature's
mistake or the results of an injury and help you have a
beautiful smile.
Veneers are thin, custom-made shells crafted of tooth-colored
materials designed to cover the front side of teeth. Typically
a dental technician makes them in a dental lab, working from
a model provided by the doctor.
This is usually an irreversible process, because it's necessary
to remove a small amount of enamel from your teeth to accommodate
the shell.
The doctor may recommend that you avoid some foods and
beverages that may stain or discolor your veneers such as
coffee, tea or red wine. Sometimes a veneer might chip or
fracture. But, for many people the results are more than worth
it.
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