Teeth will collect superficial stains all the time, which then result in your teeth looking dirty or yellow on the outside. Thankfully, there are multiple forms of tooth whitening methods you can take advantage of, including laser treatments, natural methods, and home whitening kits.
So what happens when your teeth are discolored? The surface layer of your teeth, called the enamel, starts to thin. When this takes place, the dentin below the enamel is exposed. The dentin has a natural yellow tint to it. Also, things like food stains, coffee stains, and cigarettes can seep into the cracks in your teeth and discolor your dentin even more.
 |
| Discoloration Of The Tooth |
This makes that yellow shade even darker. Dental cleaning from your Santa Ana dentist will remove any plaque or dirt that is on the enamel, but it cannot reach the discoloration of your dentin. This is where people use teeth whitening.
Teeth whitening relies upon peroxide to react to the enamel on contact, which releases oxygen and oxidizes the pigment which changes the color of your teeth. As this happens, you get a whiter appearance.
You can visit your Santa Ana dentist to do teeth whitening, or you can do it at home. The at-home versions vary slightly from the dental office versions. Clinical treatments tend to take place over the course of several weeks while at-home treatments take only a few days.
What Are The Results?
The results you get will vary based on the current color of your teeth. For example, if your teeth are very stained from tobacco use, you won’t get glistening pearly whites if you use a generic at-home treatment. As a rule of thumb, you will get teeth which are three shades lighter than what your current shade is now.
How Long Does It Last?
Bleaching your teeth, which is essentially what you are doing with teeth whitening, is not a permanent solution. It only lasts for a few months at best with at-home treatments and a few years for laser treatments. One way to extend the lifespan of your teeth whitening is to avoid consumption of tea, coffee, tobacco, or wine.
Let’s look a bit more into the at-home whitening versus laser treatments.
Laser Treatments
These are a dental procedure that must be done at your dentists’ office because they use heavily regulated peroxide gel and a laser. It takes a lot less time to do the dental treatment here because the peroxide is a higher count and the laser expedites the process. It does, however, cost much more too. The laser induces a dryness which is what causes the abnormally white tone immediately after. This strong whiteness will fade shortly after the laser treatment.
 |
| Laser Treatment |
When you get this treatment done, your dentist will apply a strong whitening gel to your teeth. This gel breaks apart the stains you have. Then, the laser is shone on your teeth to activate the gel. When this happens, the oxygen penetrates your teeth within one hour. You have to be careful not to get any on the gums which is why you must visit a qualified dentist in order to get this procedure done. This gel cannot be purchased for use at home.
At Home Treatments
Now, that does not mean you cannot whiten your teeth at home. There are plenty of at-home kits which are safe to use because the peroxide contained is lower than what you get in the professional grade gels.
There are many types of at-home treatments including:
Whitening kits with flexible trays. These have a small LED light to expedite the whitening process, similarly to what your dentist will do. For the best treatment, it is recommended that you speak with your dentist about getting a customized whitening tray made for your teeth so that you can use the at-home gel but with a customized tray.
Whitening pens which let you essentially color on top of your teeth to apply the gel when and where you want it.
Whitening strips which are the cheapest to buy, but not the most effective or easiest to lose. They come in a one size fits all so they might not fit your teeth, and if they are too big, they can irritate the gums or slide around.
Comments
Post a Comment