Professional Teeth Whitening

For many people, the normal color of teeth is not bright white. They are a varying shade of either yellow or gray and tooth color varies tremendously from person to person. The procedure to whiten teeth is fairly simple but there are techniques that need to be followed to achieve and maintain good results.

There are many reasons why teeth can become discolored. The major reasons are:

• Diet - Drinking tea, coffee, red wine or other food and drink with strong colorings.

• Smoking - Smoking can result in teeth appearing a yellowish color.

• Age - As people grow older their teeth can become darker naturally.

• Tooth decay - fillings and tartar buildup can cause discoloration.

• Trauma - Teeth have nerves and blood vessels inside them. If these nerves and blood vessels are damaged the tooth may become darker, even several years after the trauma.

• Medication - Staining can be caused by diseases or medicines. Tetracycline, an antibiotic, will cause a distinct discoloration if given to a child whose adult teeth are still developing.

How to Whiten Teeth

There are many simple ways to improve the appearance of discolored teeth:

• Regular cleaning to remove the plaque and tartar.

• Regular tooth brushing.

• Stop smoking.

• Reducing the intake of food and drink that are strongly colored such as coffee, tea, red wine, etc.

• Professional whitening.

Whitening toothpastes claim to whiten teeth, but they do so at an expense. They vary from slightly abrasive to very abrasive. They may appear to make your teeth whiter by removing stains, but some are abrasive enough to remove enamel, which makes these toothpastes a very poor long-term solution.

In-Office Whitening

There are a few different methods for whitening your teeth in the office. We can whiten them from the outside-in or the inside-out. The inside-out method, which is known as internal bleaching, is only an option for teeth that have previously had root canal treatment.

External Whitening

This means that the color of the teeth is lightened by placing a whitening solution on the outside of the teeth. This is also known as "laser" or "power" whitening. We will put a rubber seal around your teeth to protect your gums. Then, the whitening gel is painted onto your teeth and a special, bright light is pointed at them. This light speeds up the whitening process. The procedure takes one to two hours.