Teeth significantly determine your facial outlook. Since they are easily noticeable, imperfections such as tooth discoloration may make you self-conscious, affecting productivity in social places. Discoloration may develop as you age or due to certain medications, multiple root canal treatments, and excessive fluoride intake. While over-the-counter bleaching products, including whitening strips and trays, may brighten your teeth, they may not offer lasting results. It is best to go for teeth whitening in Westfield done by professionals to prevent post-treatment complications.
How do you prepare for teeth whitening?
An initial consultation with your dentist is needed before teeth whitening to ensure the procedure to discuss your expectations with your specialist. The process is usually safe for most people and works best for mild to moderate tooth discoloration. People with dark brown stains on their teeth’ surface may not benefit from this procedure. While no prior prerequisites are necessary before treatment, your dentist may advise against this process for reasons that include:
- You have dental prosthetics such as fillings, veneers, crowns, and bonding. These artificial materials do not respond well to bleaching products and can result in undesirable outcomes. If you have discolored prosthetics, you may need to get new ones to get your teeth whiter.
- Your teeth are sensitive, or you grind and gnash your teeth due to conditions such as temporomandibular joint disorder. Patients with such problems may not be ideal for teeth whitening as the conditions may worsen after treatment.
- You have brown teeth. Teeth whitening works best for people with yellow teeth and may cause undesired outcomes for those with brown teeth. If the source of discoloration is a dead tooth, you may not benefit from this procedure as well.
What to Expect During an In-Office Teeth Whitening Procedure
- Before treatment, your dentist will use a tooth chart to determine your current teeth shade and discuss with you the kind of transformation to expect after treatment.
- Using a pumice tool, your doctor will get rid of any plaque and polish the surface of your teeth.
- Your specialist will then fit your mouth with a dental dam to keep your mouth open while protecting the mouth, tongue, and lips from the whitening agent. Gauze will be used to keep your mouth dry from saliva during the treatment.
- A whitening gel containing 25% to 40% hydrogen peroxide is applied to the front part of your tooth’s surface. Other times the gel may contain carbamide peroxide as the bleaching agent. Laser light is used to activate the whitening process, and the gel may be re-applied several times depending on the brand.
- After attaining the needed shade, your dentist will rinse your mouth and apply fluoride to minimize tooth sensitivity, a common side effect.
- After treatment is complete, your specialist may recommend that you avoid consuming foods and beverages rich in color, including red wine, yellow mustard, beets, coffee, and black grapes.
You do not have to be self-conscious each time you smile. Book a session with your dentist at Dental Studios for teeth whitening to get that sparkle you have always dreamt of.
