We know the importance of a bright smile, which is why we offer a professional teeth whitening system that could potentially brighten smiles by up to eight shades. With our take-home trays and gel, you can smile with confidence. In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist talks about how we brighten smiles with take-home teeth whitening.
The Factors Behind Your Teeth Stains
Did you know that there are two different types of tooth stain? The most common is extrinsic, forming on the surfaces of our teeth and often caused by the foods and drinks we consume. For example, foods with a lot of sugar and starch feed harmful oral bacteria to create plaque buildup, which makes stains more visible. Drinks with dark pigments, like soda, coffee, red wine, and tea, also discolor the teeth. Poor brushing and flossing and lack of regular dental cleanings could be a factor too.
There is also intrinsic discoloration, which forms beneath the outer enamel and could be caused by the use of certain medications, fluorosis, and injury to the teeth. These tend to be more difficult to remove with traditional whitening methods, but we have options to mask them and offer a brighter smile for our patients!
The Take-Home Process
Our take-home teeth whitening system could help remove extrinsic stains and brighter smiles by up to eight shades. To begin, stop by our office so we can take images and measurements of your bite, which we use to create a set of plastic trays. We then send these custom trays home with you, along with multiple plastic syringes of a powerful bleaching gel. At home, you add the gel to the trays and wear them each day for about a half hour to an hour, and repair this for about one to two weeks. The trays ensure the results are even across your smile, and prevents saliva from diluting the results. You can keep the tray and any remaining gel for touch-ups in the months to come.
Dental Bonding
What if you have intrinsic discoloration? For some, we could mask these with dental bonding. Using the same composite resin that makes up our tooth-colored fillings, we coat the teeth to instantly mask discoloration. We shade the material to ensure it blends with your smile. Along with masking stains, this can also help correct minor damage and other issues with the shape of the teeth. Once we apply the composite resin to the teeth, we will sculpt the material as it cures under a light. The last step is to polish the tooth for a brighter appearance. In one visit, we can mask stains and reshape your teeth!
Porcelain Veneers
Our team could also offer smile transformation with porcelain veneers. These are thin shells of porcelain that we apply to the front of a tooth. This instantly masks teeth stains, reshape damage, correct malformed teeth, and even close gaps and black triangle spaces between the teeth. They are custom-made to blend with the smile and look natural and offer a smile makeover in only two visits.
Keeping Your Smiles Bright
Our team also has a few tips to help your smile stay bright following your teeth whitening treatment. For example, you should brush your teeth for two minutes when you wake up and then do so again before bed. Flossing before bed is also crucial. These actions remove the food and drinks particles that could cause plaque and make stains visible. Try to avoid tobacco products too, and make time to see our team for a cleaning. With a dental cleaning, we remove all plaque and tartar that make stains visible and then we polish the teeth for a brighter appearance. These actions also help lower the risk of issues like tooth decay and gum disease too.
If you have any questions about our approach to professional teeth whitening, or about how we mask stains with bonding or even custom porcelain veneers, then contact our team today to learn more. We want you to feel proud of your smile and never hesitate to show it off to the world. To get started, simply schedule a cosmetic consultation with our team today!
Do You Have Any Questions About Professional Teeth Whitening?
We want to help you smile with confidence by addressing your dental discoloration, whether with professional teeth whitening or the placement of options like bonding or veneers. Call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS by calling (913)681-5500 to learn more about how we remove discoloration or mask them, so you can enjoy a much brighter smile.
