Do you know the first thing people notice about you when they meet you for the first time? It’s your smile. According to a survey by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, people who have pearly white, perfectly aligned teeth and charming smiles are considered more attractive and approachable than ones with flawed smiles.
Unfortunately, stained teeth are the worst enemies of a beautiful smile. If you are concerned that coffee, tea, or tobacco stains on your teeth are ruining your smile and personality, no need to worry. A professional teeth whitening procedure at Northstar Dental Care is all you need to enjoy a pearly white smile! So, read on to learn about teeth whitening and how it can help you achieve the smile of your dreams.
What is Teeth Whitening?
According to the American Dental Association, teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure in which your dentist will use a potent yet safe bleaching agent to remove stains from the surface of your teeth.
How does Teeth Whitening Works?
Professional teeth whitening formulas containing an active bleaching agent. Carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide are commonly used bleaching agents for professional teeth bleaching. During the procedure, your dentist will activate the bleaching agent by exposing it to a special light, resulting in hydrogen peroxide release. This highly volatile chemical penetrates beneath the tooth surface and dissolves the adherent stains.
Who Can Benefit from Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening is an ideal treatment option for individuals with intrinsic or extrinsic teeth stains. Extrinsic teeth stains develop on the surface of the teeth. For example, these include coffee, tea, tobacco, curry, and red wine stains on the teeth. On the other hand, intrinsic stains form inside the tooth.
According to the American Dental Association, only natural teeth can be whitened; porcelain veneers or crowns or bonded restorations cannot be whitened with bleaching. Furthermore, developmental teeth stains such as those caused due to tetracycline administration during tooth development, are also very hard to remove.
What are the Steps Involved in Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening is a simple procedure usually completed in under one hour. Here are the steps involved in teeth whitening.
- ?Preparing Custom Whitening Trays - before the procedure, your dentist will make impressions of your teeth to create custom teeth whitening trays. On the day of the procedure, these trays will be filled with the bleaching agent, and you will be asked to wear them over your teeth for a certain duration.
- ?Whitening Procedure - at the next appointment, your dentist will first apply a layer of cocoa butter, petroleum jelly, or vaseline to your teeth. This is done to prevent the accidental bleaching of the gums, lips, or cheeks. Afterward, you will be asked to wear the whitening trays filled with the bleaching agent. Your dentist will then activate the bleaching agent with a special light. After about thirty minutes, you will be asked to remove the whitening trays.
- ?Washing the Teeth and Observing the Results - after cleaning your teeth, you will feel a significant improvement in the shade and color of your teeth in just one sitting! For more adherent teeth stains, multiple teeth whitening sittings may be required.
What to Expect After Teeth Whitening?
You may experience slight sensitivity in your teeth after a whitening procedure. This occurs when hydrogen peroxide softens the dentine below the enamel layer and irritates the nerves. Fortunately, this is only a transient condition in most cases, and your teeth should become normal within a few days.
Is Professional Teeth Whitening Safe?
Teeth whitening is a safe procedure, provided it is performed by an experienced cosmetic dentist. Our dentists at Northstar Dental Care are trained and qualified to perform teeth whitening and other cosmetic dental procedures safely, and to obtain an excellent esthetic outcome. However, at the same time, teeth whitening should not be considered an alternative to regular oral hygiene measures such as brushing flossing. Excessive teeth whitening may prove harmful for your teeth by making them sensitive and vulnerable to cavity formation.
Don’t let your stained teeth affect your smile and self-confidence! Book an appointment with our dentists at Northstar Dental Care today and let us give you a set of pearly white teeth and a healthy, beautiful, and lasting smile!