Teeth stains can occur for a number of different reasons, and they could be a source of embarrassment. But our team can provide two professional teeth whitening treatments to brighten your smile by several shades! In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist talks about our teeth whitening treatments.
The Onset of Teeth Stains
What causes teeth stains to form on our smiles? We could develop dental discoloration due to factors like poor brushing and flossing and a diet high in sugar, factors that create plaque buildup and make stains more visible. If we consume beverages with dark pigments, such as soda, tea, red wine, and coffee, this could also discolor the teeth. Tobacco use could be a factor too. Our team will examine your smile and discuss your oral hygiene habits to assess the cause of your stains and to help choose the right treatment option for you. We have two teeth whitening treatments to choose from, and we want to select the perfect one for your smile.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
If you need results quickly then you should talk to our team about our in-office teeth whitening treatment. With this option, we provide results in as little as one to two hours tops! This is perfect if you need a brighter smile before a big event, such as a graduation, job interview, or a first date. The procedure is simple. Our team will apply a protective covering over the lips and gums. We then place a powerful bleaching gel onto the surfaces of the teeth. Using a special light, we will activate the gel to begin breaking up and removing stains. We may repeat the process as needed. In one sitting, you can obtain a shining smile!
Brighter Smiles with Take-Home Kits
If you have more severe staining, then we may recommend our take-home teeth whitening kit. With this option you stop by the office just long enough for us to take impressions and images of your bite, which we use to create a set of custom plastic trays. We then send these home with you, along with multiple plastic syringes of bleaching gel.
At home, you add the gel to the trays and wear them for a specific amount of time each day, usually about an hour. You then repeat this over the course of a week or two. The trays ensure even results across the surfaces of your smile, and prevents saliva from diluting the gel. For some, teeth could be up to eight shades brighter! You can keep the trays and any remaining gel for touchups in the months to come.
Dental Bonding
There are actually two types of teeth stain. The most common is extrinsic, which forms on the surfaces of our teeth, usually due to our oral hygiene habits and what we eat or drink. These are easily removed with teeth whitening. But intrinsic stains, usually caused by fluorosis, injury, or medication, form beneath the enamel and can be more difficult to remove with teeth whitening. Fortunately, we can mask them with dental bonding! Using the same composite resin as our fillings, the bonding procedure involves coating the teeth in the material to mask stains.
Porcelain Veneers
We could also mask intrinsic discoloration with porcelain veneers, very thin shells of porcelain that we place onto the front of your teeth. These thin and lifelike restorations are shaded to blend with your smile, and can also reshape teeth and mask gaps between the teeth. For some, this not only brightens the smile, but offers a smile makeover by taking on multiple cosmetic concerns at once.
Keeping Smiles Bright
Following your teeth whitening treatment, what can be done to keep your smile brighter for longer periods? Be sure you cut back on the drinks with dark pigments, and lower your consumption of foods high in sugar and starch. You also need to brush and floss daily! These actions control plaque buildup to make discoloration less severe. We also urge you to avoid tobacco products, and to see our team for a cleaning every six months to remove all plaque and tartar.
If you have any questions about teeth whitening, then contact our team today to learn more.
Schedule a Visit to Remove Your Teeth Stains
Our team wants to help you enjoy a smile that looks good and remains free of serious discoloration. To learn more about removing the discoloration from your smile, or to schedule your next visit with us, call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at (913)681-5500.
