Category : Teeth whitening

Everything You Need to Know About Professional Teeth Whitening

White teeth have often been the synonym for good oral health. Besides, the desire and pursuit for healthier, whiter teeth is nothing new. Even though a slightly yellow or perfectly dingy smile is natural, the hunt for aesthetics has led people to opt for dental tooth whitening. 

The concept of teeth whitening has changed significantly over the last few decades. Today, people use different teeth whitening options or consult professionals to bleach their teeth effectively. Interestingly, despite the wide availability of teeth-whitening procedures, there’s still a lot of misconception and mystery surrounding professional tooth-whitening treatments performed in dentists’ offices.

So if you’ve been thinking of professional teeth whitening, this blog is for you. Continue reading as we understand more about bleaching teeth at the dentist in the following sections of this blog. 

How Does Professional Teeth Whitening Work?

Professional teeth whitening is an effective treatment procedure. It uses carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide as a whitening agent to remove yellow patches from your teeth surface. During professional teeth whitening by a dentist, these chemicals are applied as a concentrated whitening gel. 

Once applied, your dentist will use a UV or a blue light to activate the bleaching process of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide will start bleaching the ingrained spots as soon as it becomes active, penetrating your enamel. 

On the contrary, you can also opt for over-the-counter bleaching teeth solutions like whitening kits and strips, among other options. While these options also work effectively, they are much lighter and take longer to show results.

So now that we know how professional teeth whitening works, let’s look at the steps involved in the process in the following section.

Steps Involved In Teeth Whitening

Stage I: Careful Assessment

One reason you shouldn’t do teeth whitening by yourself is to understand the current status of your oral health. When you opt for teeth whitening by the dentist, you get to converse with a dentist and their staff. 

Consulting a professional will help you understand that not every stain can be removed using traditional methods. Some stains require different treatments.

No teeth-whitening procedure will work if the stains on your teeth are due to injury, illness, or side effects of some medication. Such cases would require other aesthetic dentistry treatments, which your dentist in Gallup will suggest. 

This evaluation also allows you to discuss any unique tooth sensitivity the dentist should consider during the procedure.

Stage II: Taking Care Of Color

Upon visiting a professional for teeth whitening in Mexico, they’ll use a shade guide to record the color of your natural teeth. After all, our teeth aren’t genuinely white; you might be astonished at how discolored they are both before and after professional whitening. 

Besides, even the whitest teeth aren’t completely white. If you start by noting the color of your teeth, your whitening dentist will be able to monitor your progress and make any necessary modifications to get the desired results.

Stage III: Plaque Removal

A biofilm or a plaque is a layer that forms on your teeth. If you don’t remove it before whitening, plaque can hinder the whitening components’ ability to treat the spots on your teeth’s enamel. Professional whitening has another benefit over at-home alternatives until you become skilled at cleaning the plaque on your teeth.

Stage IV: Drying

For the next step, your tooth whitening dentist will ensure that your teeth are as dry as possible before applying whitening agents and exposing your teeth to UV radiation. 

To keep specific areas of your mouth dry, your dentist may also install rubber dams. The barriers also benefit from preventing your tongue and gums from being irritated by the whitening substances.

Stage V: Whitening

In the final stage, a gel substance that is high in hydrogen peroxide will cover your teeth and dissolve tooth stains. As mentioned earlier, laser light activates the chemicals in the teeth, accelerating the bleaching process.

Once done, the white teeth procedure will be completed in 60 or 90 minutes. The end results would be teeth whitened by up to eight shades. With careful attention to regular dental maintenance and certain healthy eating and drinking habits, your newly whitened teeth will remain that way for up to a year. Besides, if you quit smoking, it can be considerably longer than any over-the-counter choice.

Now You Know!

Having whiter teeth adds to your aesthetics and significantly boosts your confidence. While both over-the-counter and professional teeth whitening by dentists are the ways to go, the latter is more effective than the other measures. 

So now that you have an idea of the steps involved in the process, when are you planning to show your flawless smile?

Considering White Teeth In Gallup?

Yellowing teeth can be a common factor due to lifestyle choices, eating habits, or age. Don’t let yellow teeth impact your smile; let our Sundance Dental & Orthodontics experts give you the perfect smile makeover. Connect with our professionals at 505-722-4422 today!

Know all about whitening your teeth!

Do you have discoloured teeth due to plaque or tartar? Or do you notice some of your teeth are slightly darker than the rest? Well, a teeth whitening treatment can help fix the discolouration in your teeth by brightening the dull ones. This is either done as a standalone procedure or performed after scaling, a dental procedure used to remove impurities and tartar from your teeth. 

Fortunately, teeth whitening is not an invasive procedure, and nor is it expensive if you choose the in-home whitening treatment. You can consider getting treatment from a professional at a dental clinic for long-lasting results, but these are often costly. This post is aimed at discussing all kinds of teeth whitening treatments with detailed procedures for each and their results. Keep reading.

In-Office Teeth Whitening

This is your best bet if you are looking for the safest and most effective teeth whitening treatment. Getting the stain removed and your teeth whitened by a specialist won’t guarantee long-lasting results, but you can have peace of mind knowing that a professional is working on your teeth. The dentists will apply whitening solutions containing bleaching agents directly on the surface of your teeth

It’s performed in conjunction with a laser or light. Either way, the results are noticeable shortly after the procedure. It may take 30 minutes to an hour for a complete procedure. If required, your dentist might ask you to get your teeth cleaned before whitening for a dramatic result. That’s usually needed when your teeth have accumulated a considerable amount of plaque and tartar, and whitening alone won’t fix the level of stain. 

The dentist puts a tool on your mouth to get the best exposure and avoid the chemical reaching the gum. During the procedure, the doctor will assess the condition of your gums and mouth to ensure there are no cavities or any inflammation that can worsen from the whitening solution. It’s the most expensive option on the list but is highly effective.

Whitening Toothpaste

All toothpaste contains certain abrasives that can efficiently remove surface-level dirt. If you are looking for better results, you should get a whitening toothpaste that’s designed specifically for stain removal. These are comparatively more effective than your regular toothpaste and can quickly produce better results. It’s also the cheapest and safest way to get white and bright teeth at home. The toothpaste can range anywhere between $1 and $20, depending on the brand and the chemicals it contains. 

Ideally, you should discuss your teeth whitening goals with a dentist at Sundance Dental Gallup, New Mexico, to get the best recommendation. They will also tell you if you should use teeth-whitening toothpaste at all. If you have too many dental crowns and fillings or have undergone an invasive dental procedure, the use of toothpaste or any whitening procedure for that matter might not be suitable for you. 

Whitening Strips and Gels

Whitening gels and other in-home teeth whitening products contain carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. That brightens your teeth by removing the stain. Doing it carefully is important to avoid getting these chemicals on your gums or other areas. The biggest benefit of in-home teeth whitening is that it’s cheaper than in-office whitening treatment. 

Coming to the downside, whitening strips do not guarantee the best results. A professional will evaluate the condition of your teeth and show you the normal colour that will match the rest of the teeth. You can choose a shade based on your preference. Regular appointments for the teeth whitening process can also help you get long-lasting results and a perfect shade.

Tray-Based Whiteners

This is another try-at-home solution for teeth whitening, involving trays that come with a bleaching teeth procedure solution. You are supposed to wear them for a specific period of time, say 2-4 weeks, every night or 24 hours a day (depending on your goals). 

These whitening trays are available at pharmacy stores, or you can get custom whitening trays from a dentist for a few additional dollars. Priced anywhere between $150 and $500, they are the best solution for discoloured teeth and are also pretty comfortable. They are custom-made to fit your teeth.

Before wearing a tray, talk to the Sundance Dental Gallup New Mexico dentists about how teeth whitening works and whether the trays are safe.

Bottom Line

These are a few effective in-home and in-office dental teeth whitening procedures that can help you get a clean and bright smile. Whichever whitening treatment method you choose, consult a dentist to understand the procedure, cost, and results. 

While in-home whitening seems the most convenient and viable way to get rid of stains, sometimes it is more sensible to consult a professional for the best treatment. 

What Are The Different Types of Teeth Whitening Process?

A dull and yellow smile is the common insecurity that people face when it comes to their appearance. Fortunately, there are several ways of preventing this issue. The bright white teeth whitening process is amongst the best ways of getting a better smile.

Other than teeth stain from drinks and foods, teeth whitening is amongst the best ways to always look bright and nice. There are many ways of getting teeth whitening which you can get through the best dentist.

Regardless of your chosen method, you should always whiten your teeth under the supervision of a dental expert. But first, look at the different types of teeth whitening and their benefits.

Different Types of Teeth Whitening

Whitening trends make their way in and out. The commercials and social media show us how easy several over-the-counter products can be. There are several options from which you can choose. The following outlines several options to help you choose the right option.

  • In-Office Whitening

The two primary ingredients in teeth whitening are carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. Unlike whitening toothpaste, which uses abrasive ingredients to remove surface-level stains mechanically, the molecules of oxygen inside the whitening agents can weaken the tooth stains on the molecular level.

Choosing the best and most appropriate dentist who can provide you with long-term results is necessary.

In-office whitening treatments are usually completed within shorter appointments but depend on the unique needs. The whitening agent remains on the teeth for about 15-30 minutes, depending on the severity of the teeth’ discoloration. 

The whole in-office process takes roughly an hour and a half. There are many types of in-office whitening treatments, like:

    • Experts apply a higher concentration of the hydrogen peroxide gel with the help of a syringe.
    • Then, hydrogen peroxide has a combination of high-intensity light such as UV, LED, or halogen. The light passes through the laser or lam device, whose placement is directly outside your mouth.

Laser and halogen light increase the teeth’ lightness more than peroxide. As per the study, people with laser or halogen treatment had longer whitened teeth than peroxide users. 

  • The Counter Teeth Whitening Products

Over-the-counter teeth whitening products are available without a prescription. However, visiting the dentist in Farmington NM, is advisable to get the most appropriate products for your dental health.

These teeth-whitening products are mouthwashes, whitening toothpaste, and gels. You can also purchase the OTC teeth whitening kits and strips online or at any local pharmacy.

Some over-the-counter products use the peroxides such as hydrogen peroxide to eliminate and brighten teeth and remove stains. In addition, some people use enzymes, abrasives, or detergents to remove the stained material from the teeth’ surface.

While some of these OTC products help to whiten the teeth, they usually take longer to work than other types of teeth whitening. These teeth whitening kits have bleaching solutions with carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. 

Different brands offer different levels of hydrogen and carbamide peroxide. Hence, it is necessary to consult the dentist to choose the right formula and brand that suits you.

  • Natural Remedies

The natural teeth whitening process consists of eating healthier, avoiding teeth-staining foods, and jumping on the current trend. If you use tobacco or smoke, they are your primary culprits, and give up on smoking and drinking.

Abrasive drinks like charcoal or baking soda and other rinsing agents such as coconut oil will provide you with the needed benefits. You will have to create brushing habits and rinse your mouth daily. 

The brushing habit should be twice a day, floss, and use mouthwash daily. In addition, chewing sugar-free gum and visiting the dentist’s office may help you get better oral care.

  • Pre-Made Whitening Trays

These have a lining with powerful gel, which brightens the teeth. Depending on the type of trays, you will generally have to wear them for about an hour for some days to see the results.

Since these trays are from the store, they are not ideal to fit in your mouth. If the trays are not fitting, the gel can slip off the tray and get on the gums, which can cause irritation.

  • Customized Whitening Trays

While whitening trays are the same as pre-make ones in terms of application, they are effective and safe for teeth whitening. In addition, since you can customize the trays according to your teeth, you will not have to worry about the gel getting in the gum, which can potentially irritate.

You will get the best results than the store-bought trays because the customized whitening trays come with higher peroxide concentration.

Conclusion

Having a beautiful and luscious smile is not as hard as you think. By opting for any of the methods mentioned below, you can easily get a great smile in no time. Make sure to consult the dentist and learn about the teeth whitening process that suits your needs.

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