Teeth Whitening

Maintaining Your Whiter Smile
In order to maximize the longevity of your whitening treatment, it is important to avoid food and drink that could stain your teeth for about a week after whitening, as well as to refrain from smoking.
Dr. Patel will advise you to maintain excellent oral hygiene (brush and floss after every meal) and steer clear of some of the more common causes of discoloration (coffee, tea, red wine, etc.). To help avoid future staining, dentists often suggest using a straw, even with coffee and tea. Smokers wishing to undergo whitening treatment are advised to stop smoking in order to prevent the staining it causes. Discuss such considerations with us during your initial whitening consultation.
 

Teeth Whitening
Teeth Whitening is the most commonly requested cosmetic dentistry procedure. It’s designed to enhance your appearance by reducing tooth discoloration and staining to elicit a brighter, whiter smile.

In Detail:
The Prevalence of Tooth Discoloration
Tooth discoloration and staining is a relatively common problem.  Teeth are porous and are therefore not stain resistant. Red wine, soda, coffee and tea, among other food and drink, contribute to the discoloration of teeth over time. Medications such as the antibiotic tetracycline can cause significant staining, resulting in yellow, grayish teeth. Smokers’ teeth can become permanently stained if the discoloration is not treated in a timely manner.

Tooth brushing alone can’t brighten teeth dulled by years of exposure to such discoloring agents. In fact, people with dull teeth sometimes over-brush in an attempt to eliminate stains, and this can harm the enamel covering of the tooth.

Teeth Whitening Considerations
More and more often Teeth Whitening serves as an adequate solution to discoloration. However, the effectiveness of teeth whitening can vary, depending on the individual. Also, whitening procedures can cause temporary tooth sensitivity, which varies in intensity from person to person.
Occasionally tooth discoloration is so severe that whitening alone cannot fully treat the problem. In these situations, veneers might be a better option. Your dentist can advise you about this.

The Teeth Whitening Procedure
Typically, your teeth can be whitened by several shades within 45 minutes, dramatically improving your appearance in the shortest possible time. Tooth shade charts are used during the consultation stage of treatment to establish your current shading and determine your whitening goal.

During your teeth whitening procedure, you are made comfortable while your teeth are prepared. Dr. Patel places a guard in your mouth to protect the lips and gums from a whitening gel that is applied to the teeth.

In some types of whitening, application of the whitening gel occurs in three sessions over the course of the visit. A special lamp is used to activate the whitening gel and speed up the whitening process. Once the gel is activated, it remains on the teeth for 15-20 minutes until the next application.