Cosmetic Dentistry - Teeth Whitening
In most cases, the natural color of teeth is within a range of light grayish-yellow shades. Teeth naturally darken with age and their appearance can be affected by the accumulation of surface stains acquired from the use of tobacco products and the consumption of certain foods or drinks.
In addition, the perception of the color of teeth is severely affected by skin and makeup. Independent of the real color of their teeth, people with dark skin or who use dark makeup will look like they have brighter teeth.
Although teeth are not naturally meant to be completely white, many Canadians want a brighter smile. Responding to this desire, a wide range of "whitening" options has become available to consumers. These products fall into two main categories: surface whiteners and bleaches.
Surface Whiteners
These products use special abrasives to improve the product’s ability to remove surface stains. Most products in this category are either toothpastes or chewing gums. Because the special abrasives in these whitening products are often only finer versions of what is used in regular toothpastes, they are unlikely to cause excessive tooth wear. However, the effectiveness of these products is limited to surface stains and should not be used as a substitute for professional cleaning.
Bleaches
Most bleaching products are peroxide-based and are actually capable of altering the colors of the tooth itself. However, not all tooth discolorations respond to tooth-bleaching treatments. Individuals contemplating tooth-bleaching should consult with a dentist to determine the cause of the tooth discoloration and determine whether a bleaching treatment will have the desired result. This step is especially important for patients with fillings, root canal treatments, crowns and/or with extremely dark stains on the anterior teeth.
A number of different bleaching techniques and products are available to patients. Your dentist will use one of these methods to whiten your teeth:
- Vital bleaching is done on "living" teeth and can be used to whiten your teeth if they have become stained by food or tobacco or if they have become dark with age.
- Non-vital bleaching is bleaching done on teeth that are no longer "alive." Your tooth has changed color because of a root canal, non-vital bleaching can lighten your tooth from the inside out.
There are three methods for bleaching teeth. The method that will work best on you depends on the number of teeth that need to be bleached, and on how badly they are stained (or discolored).
1. Putting special bleach on your stained teeth and using (or heat and light) to start the bleaching action.
2. Wearing a custom-made mouth guard filled with special bleach for part of each day.
3. Brushing with special bleach mixed in toothpaste.
Bleaching should be done only under a dentist’s care. Tooth-bleaching under controlled dental office conditions may be safe and effective, but the new in-office vital tooth-bleaching techniques, particularly those using lasers and lights, have undergone little scientific assessment.
Creekside Dental Clinic is pleased to offer in office POLAZING bleaching. The patient is treated in the dental chair for a thirty minute treatment while they relax and watch television.
We also provide the home bleaching system POLADAY and POLANIGHT which are used with customized trays made from an impression of your mouth to achieve outstanding results.
Contact us today!
Cosmetic Dentistry Services
Cosmetic Dentistry | Bonding & Veneers | Crowns | Bridges & Dentures | Fillings
Teeth Whitening | Root Canal Treatment
