If you have stains on the surfaces of your teeth, or even beneath the outer enamel, then you may need professional teeth whitening. We can choose from two different options, or even discuss other ways to mask serious stains! In today’s blog, your Leawood, KS, dentist talks about removing unsightly stains with teeth whitening.
The Causes of Teeth Stains
How do stains form on the surfaces of our teeth? Extrinsic teeth stains, the most common form, could occur due to plaque buildup brought on by poor oral hygiene habits and a diet high in sugar, making stains more visible. Drinks with dark pigments, such as soda, red wine, coffee, and tea could also discolor your smile. Smoking cigarettes or using other tobacco products, coding vaping, could stain teeth too.
You could also have intrinsic discoloration, stains that form beneath the outer enamel. These are more difficult to remove and could be caused by factors like exposure to fluoride in large amounts, the use of certain medications, or even an injury to the tooth. We will examine your smile to assess the cause and severity of your discoloration, so we can then choose the right teeth whitening options for you.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
For teeth whitening that only takes one visit, we could brighten your smile with an in-office procedure. This provides results in as little as one to two hours! We will start by applying a protective covering over your lips and gums, and then placing the powerful bleaching gel to the surfaces of your teeth. When we activate the gel with a light, this begins breaking up and removing teeth stains. We then repeat the process as needed, so you see results quickly in one visit. The final result will be more dramatic than possible with store bought strips and toothpastes, and lasts longer too!
Whitening at Home
We also have an option you can use from the comfort of your own home. With our home-based teeth whitening, you stop by our office for a short visit, in which we take impressions of your bite with digital technology and then create a set of custom plastic trays, which fit snugly over your teeth. You then take these trays home with you, along with several plastic syringes of a powerful bleaching gel. At home, you add the gel to the trays and wear them for a specific amount of time each day, usually an hour, and repeat this for a week or two. At which time, your teeth could be up to eight shades brighter, and you can keep the trays and any leftover gel should you need touch-ups in the months to come.
Dental Bonding
What if you have serious intrinsic discoloration, the kind that whitening alone may not be able to remove completely? If this happens, then we could offer other cosmetic treatments to mask the discoloration and make your smile instantly brighter. For example, with dental bonding, we can apply a special composite resin shaded for a natural appearance, coating the teeth to cover severe discoloration in only one visit. We use the same material for our fillings, since it is lifelike and bonds with the tooth, staying in place for years to come.
Porcelain Veneers
For a smile makeover, we could address stains and more with the placement of our porcelain veneers. These are very thin restorations custom-made for your smile, which we attach to the front of your teeth. When in place, these instantly alter the appearance of your entire smile, so you feel confident with your smile. We can mask stains, fill gaps between the teeth, correct minor damage, and even reshape, malformed or worn-down teeth. For some, this could even improve the appearance of smiles with minor misalignment, providing a straighter-looking smile in just two appointments.
If you have any questions about our in-office or at-home teeth whitening treatments, or about how we can mask stains and correct other issues with the use of bonding and veneers, or a combination of all of these, then reach out to our team today. We want to help you feel good about your smile and also enjoy improved health and function too, so talk to our team about cosmetic dentistry today.
Our Team Wants to Brighten Your Smile
With professional options, we can make your smile really shine! Our team can offer brighter smiles, and even address concerns with the shape of your teeth using bonding and veneers. If you want to brighten your teeth, then let us know right away. Call Dreem Dentistry in Leawood, KS, today at (913) 681-5500 to schedule your visit with our friendly team.
