Teeth Whitening: A Cosmetic Dental Procedure
If you are not happy with your smile and you want a brighter one, the whitening of the teeth is the solution for your desire. Teeth whitening are a procedure which is reducing the stains or the coloured areas on the teeth. The patient will eventually have a whiter smile.
What do whiter teeth mean?
Well, if you are wondering about how white your teeth will become, here is your answer. There are several whitening procedures and many of these procedures are said to make your teeth up to 9 shades whiter. The difference between the initial colour and the after-whitening colour is actually not so big. Patients usually have their teeth whitened by two or three shades and this is enough for almost any smile to make it brighter.
It is quite difficult to determine the tooth colour because there isn't any standard system of measuring this aspect. Vita shade guide is the most popular method used so far to determine the colour of teeth. This Vita shade guide has four shade ranges for teeth colour:
A – used to describe reddish brown
B – usually used for reddish yellow
C – stands for grey
D – describing reddish grey
The A range of teeth colour has five levels of darkness for the staining. B, C and D use only four levels of darkness.
The use of this Vita shade guide is not fully proof as nobody's teeth are the same colour. Experts noticed that some teeth have the tendency of being whiter than others. Usually the front teeth are the brightest and whitest while the molar neighbours are about two or three shades darker. But the eye teeth are the darkest teeth in anyone's mouth.
Taking all these aspects into consideration, the purpose of teeth whitening procedure is to offer patients the most suitable and most naturally-looking shade of white. Therefore, you should know that the dentist will most likely try to find out what exactly you want for your smile. The dentist will also explain to you, during the first consultation, that the outcome of the teeth whitening procedure varies from one person to another. The explanation for this is the different teeth structure everyone has. The type of procedure performed on your teeth also has an impact on the final result.
What is discoloration of the teeth?
You hear about this term – discoloration of the teeth – but you don't know where this is coming from. Well, staining, aging or chemicals are some of the causes for the discoloration of the teeth enamel. Certain medicines, coffee, tea and cigarettes are also causes for teeth discoloration. And if you drink a lot of cola-based soft drinks, you may also suffer from the same discoloration problems. Some medical affections and the medication to treat them also represent a threat for the whiteness of your teeth. So if you notice this effect of a treatment, inform the dentist to adjust the teeth whitening procedure to the particularities of your problems.
But this type of teeth discoloration – the staining - is due mostly to outside factors. There are inner factors which also affect the colour of the teeth. Genetics have a great impact on the teeth colour. The explanation is simple: better genes, brighter teeth enamel.
Basic information on teeth whitening
Teeth whitening is the process used for improving the colour of a person's teeth by correcting the yellow, brown or reddish stains. This process includes many procedures and techniques designed for making patients' teeth whiter. Some procedures use chemical whitening, others use mild acid whitening or abrasive brightening. But the latest trend is the use of laser in teeth whitening techniques.
Another procedure is known as teeth bleaching. It may sound a bit uncomfortable, but don't worry, it is just a technique that uses chemicals to make your teeth whiter. The best thing about this procedure is that it can be done at a cosmetic dentist's and at home. You can do it at home, on your own, following the doctor's indications and using its bleaching materials. This procedure is saving you time and money you would have otherwise spent on trips to the cosmetic dentist's office.
Before starting the teeth whitening treatment at home, the dentist will create a special mouth tray. This mouth tray will be custom made especially for your mouth, in order to fit it perfectly. The mouth tray is very important for the success of the treatment as it offers the doctor the opportunity to make sure that the patient will use the proper amount of whitening material and that the solution is affecting the entire surface of the teeth. The effect of the whitening treatment is being improved by the use of the custom made tray instead of the one-size trays which don't fit perfectly all patients' mouths.
In conclusion, whitening your teeth at home is a quite simple procedure. The cosmetic dentist will give you the materials needed for the treatment, and the instructions on how to properly use the materials, and all you have to do is to follow the steps. The dentist will also supervise the first step of the treatment and he/she will be constantly available for helping you out whenever you are in trouble.
Doing the teeth whitening treatment at home is a procedure that may take you an hour or two, so you should be aware of this aspect. The treatment asks you to keep the tray and the whitening solution in your mouth, so the dentist may advise you to do the treatment during night time. This may seem a bit uncomfortable, but this home teeth whitening treatment won't take more than three weeks. At the end of this period you have to consult the cosmetic dentist again to check the results.
How long does the effect of the teeth whitening last?
Well, you should know from the start that teeth whitening doesn't last for a life time. Its results will be visible for two or more years, provided you will not have very damaging habits. If you try to stay away from coffee, tea or cigarettes, the results will last longer and you will be even happier with the outcome.
How expensive is the teeth whitening procedure?
The price for teeth whitening and teeth bleaching treatments is around 500 dollars. The price may vary depending on the name of the doctor and on the type of the treatment you will be using, as the laser treatment will cost you around 1000 dollars.
You should be aware of the fact that the more in-office procedures your treatment requires the more money you will have to pay to the doctor. And unfortunately, the dental insurance doesn't usually cover the teeth whitening procedure.
Types of Teeth Whitening Procedures
The science has evolved lately and now there are some medical procedures that will make your teeth whiter and brighter by removing the brown and yellow stains on your teeth. As any other medical procedures, these teeth whitening techniques have both advantages and disadvantages. Consequently, the decision on what procedure to use should be taken after consulting a cosmetic dentist who will recommend you the most suitable technique for your situation.
Teeth Whitening Procedures:
