If you are disappointed in and frustrated by the colour of your teeth, you’ve got options for refreshing the pearly whiteness of your not-quite pearly whites. Asking your dentist to perform teeth whitening in Willow Park will return your teeth to their former glory and banish your disappointment and frustration. Here’s an introduction to the process of professional teeth whitening and how it can help you to accomplish your goals. If this feels like a good alternative for helping you to meet your needs, make an appointment with a dentist near you.
What does “bleaching” mean?
Yes, your dentist in Willow Park will bleach your teeth. But, no they won’t use bleach in the way that you might think of the phrase. In other words, your dentist will not use laundry bleach. Laundry bleach contains varying concentrations of a poisonous substance called sodium hypochlorite. Sodium hypochlorite is poisonous, is not used by your dentist in Willow Park for any reason — except when doing laundry.
What does your dentist use to “bleach” your teeth? Teeth are whitened using compounds made from one of two common ingredients: hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. At concentration levels used by your dentist, both hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are safe for use on your teeth. Hydrogen peroxide, in fact, is contained in many first aid kits, DIY teeth whitening kits and is even ingested by some people at 35% levels as an alternative treatment for various ailments. Carbamide peroxide breaks down, in part, into hydrogen peroxide in water. Carbamide peroxide at concentrations of up to 22% are commonly used in safe DIY teeth-whitening products. With their specialized training, equipment and expertise, dentists use even stronger concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide on your teeth without any risk to your health.
Many stains form on your teeth when compounds contained in foods and drinks and produced by smoking accumulate in the porous outer layer of enamel on your teeth. From a casual glance, your teeth may look like they have a solid and smooth surface, but enamel is actually quite porous and prone to the accumulation of those staining deposits. When hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide is placed on your teeth, a chemical reaction occurs that breaks up those accumulations of staining substances to allow them to be cleared away.
What is the teeth whitening process?
There are two ways to obtain professional teeth whitening near you: In the dentist’s office through chairside whitening or at home using take-home trays provided by your dentist.
Chairside whitening
During an in-office teeth whitening appointment, your dentist and hygienist will completely clean your teeth. Once your teeth are clean, your dentist will apply a hydrogen peroxide gel of 10 to 35% concentration. Your dentist will apply a specialized light to the hydrogen peroxide-coated teeth to accelerate the process of breaking apart the stains on your teeth. Your dentist will then remove the hydrogen peroxide substances from your teeth, then repeat the process several times during the course of your appointment. In a single appointment, your teeth may be whitened by as many as six to eight shades.
Take-home whitening trays
If you want the benefits of professional-grade bleaching products in the comfort of your own home, as a dentist to provide you with take-home whitening trays. Your dentist will examine your teeth to ensure whitening is an appropriate treatment for you, then take impressions to help technicians to create soft dental trays. A layer of gel containing 10 to 20% carbamide peroxide will be loaded into those trays. You can whiten your teeth yourself by wearing those trays at home for a few hours (either during the day or even as you sleep). At-home trays contain stronger products than DIY options available from retail stores, but less powerful substances than used in the dentist’s office.
What’s the next step to having your teeth whitened by your dentist in the office or at home? Call a dentist near you and arrange an appointment for a consultation and assessment.