Teeth lose their pearly white look as you age or often because of drinks such as tea, coffee and red wine or from smoking. Antibiotic use or plaque and tartar buildup are other reasons teeth lose whiteness. While the reasons are many for losing whiteness, the reasons for whitening are basically cosmetic. With whiter teeth you may feel more confident about looking good, looking younger or having a more beautiful smile.
For whiter looking teeth, you have several in-office dental options:
Professional Bleaching
This method of teeth whitening uses a product that typically contains hydrogen peroxide as the active ingredient. Hydrogen peroxide penetrates the tooth enamel and lightens the tooth color. Your dentist puts a rubber shield or gel on your gums that protects them during the whitening process. Using a custom-fitting tray that wraps around your mouth, the dentist then applies the whitening agent to your teeth.
Laser Whitening
Your dentist applies a rubber dam or gel on your gums to protect them and the whitening agent to the teeth. The dentist then uses a laser machine, applying a light to your teeth, which activates the chemicals in the whitening product. This process takes about an hour and a half. We use the product line called Zoom, and you also receive a whitening kit to take home with you. We call our program “White for Life” because after you have that procedure done, we’ll provide you with more whitening gel whenever you run out.
Is teeth whitening right for you? Make an appointment with Dr. Baker and we’ll be glad to talk about it and answer your questions.
Recent Comments