Teeth Whitening
We all know the best way to keep your teeth bright and white is to brush your teeth twice a day, floss at least once a day and see your dentist every six months for your regular cleaning appointments. Unfortunately, try as you may, your pearly whites may not always be so pearly and white.
While age and genetics do factor into dark or yellow teeth, our health choices make a significant impact. Generally speaking, your diet and oral hygiene are the most important determiners of your tooth colour. Beverages like tea, coffee and red wine tend to stain teeth the most. In addition to all of the other health problems it causes, tobacco is one of the biggest reasons for stained and yellow, brown or even grey teeth.
If you want your teeth to be “pearly whites” again, your best bet is to talk to your dentist about teeth whitening. If you have tried over-the-counter whitening kits and been disappointed, you will have better results with either in-surgery or take-home teeth whitening.
What Is Teeth Whitening?
When it comes to improving the appearance of your smile, teeth whitening is one of the easiest ways to make a significant difference. Over time, teeth can become discoloured due to ageing, genetics, the foods we eat, or smoking. This discoloration can be reversed using teeth whitening, which penetrates into the hard outer layer of teeth, called enamel, and breaks up the compounds that cause stains.
What you consume can play a major role in the colour of your teeth. Coffee, tea, cola, red wine and tobacco smoke are a few well-known culprits behind teeth stains.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
If you have tried over-the-counter whitening kits and been disappointed, you will have better results with one of our custom whitening trays. Our trays are made from impressions of your teeth, so they fit comfortably and securely. Since they are made to fit your mouth, they can also cover all the spots store-bought whitening kits tend to miss. Over-the-counter products also tend to leak whitening gel and rub against your gums, causing gum irritation or pain.
Am I A Good Candidate For Take-Home Teeth Whitening?
Not everyone can benefit from our take-home teeth whitening. Some stains can not be fixed with whitening gel. For example, discoloration from a root canal cannot be whitened because it starts inside of the tooth rather than on the outer enamel. Stains on crowns, veneers or bonded teeth will not respond to whitening treatments. New crowns and veneers are an alternative option for teeth that cannot be whitened with peroxide.
Procedure Overview
Getting a custom teeth whitening tray is simple.
- We will use a special kind of putty to make a mould of your teeth.
- A dental lab will use these impressions to make your plastic trays, which are flexible and designed to slide over your teeth.
- When your tray is ready, the dentist will choose a peroxide whitening gel that best fits your needs.
- There are different strengths of whitening gel available. Stronger gels can yield quicker results but are more likely to cause side effects, including sensitive teeth and gum irritation.
- The rest of the process is in your hands. You will need to squirt the gel into the trays and wear them every day. The dentist can advise you on the right amount of time for you.
- This treatment normally lasts for two to four weeks. In most cases, you should notice whiter teeth within the first two weeks. If you notice any side effects, including tooth sensitivity and irritated or painful gums, stop your treatment and call us right away.
Please note that before you can whiten your teeth at home, you will need to undergo any necessary dental procedures such as cleanings or fillings.