The look of your smile has a significant impact on many areas of your life. Unfortunately, many people suffer from discoloration of their teeth. Many of the things you do in your life, as well as normal aging, can lead to darkened or stained teeth. Drinking cola, tea, coffee, red wine, as well as smoking, can all have an impact on the coloring of your teeth. The good news is there are now teeth whitening treatments designed to remove these stains in a safe manner to keep your teeth healthy and beautiful.

Your smile is one of the things people will remember when they first meet you. A bright, white smile makes a much better impression on those who meet you and can help raise your self-confidence as well. Teeth whitening has proven to be a safe, easy way to restore the look of your teeth. Even though there are a number of over-the-counter treatments available today that claim to do the same, they often don’t provide the same results as turning to our office for a professional treatment. These over-the-counter kits aren’t custom fitted to your teeth, which means the product used for whitening may leak out of the trays and could cause gum irritation, reducing the effectiveness and how quickly the product works.

Is Tooth Whitening a Viable Option?

Unfortunately, tooth whitening isn’t an option for all patients. First, we must determine whether you are a candidate for the procedure. After this, we can help you choose the best treatment for your needs, monitoring your progress to make sure you don’t experience any problems as a result.

Even with the most advanced whitening techniques, not everyone will get the same results. Brown, yellow and orange stains can typically be bleached, while gray teeth or those stained by tetracycline won’t respond as well to bleaching. We will closely evaluate the condition of your teeth and advise you accordingly. However, if we determine bleaching isn’t the best option for you, we can still help you achieve a whiter, brighter smile. Dental bonding and porcelain veneers can be a viable alternative.

We offer several options to ensure you have the healthy, beautiful smile you’ve always wanted:

AT-HOME TRAY WHITENING

Rather than turning to ineffective over-the-counter treatments, our at-home whitening kit helps you get the results you want in your own home for less than a professional treatment at our office. First, you will pay a visit to our dental office to be fitted for your custom tray. We will prescribe the whitening agent designed to meet your needs, as well as detailed instructions to ensure the best results. All you need to do is place the gel in the custom trays and then wear them about an hour each day for a week or two. If your stains were created by tobacco, coffee, tea or other similar products, it may take longer to get results.

IN-OFFICE LASER TEETH WHITENING

Another option we offer is In-Office Laser Whitening. This can be used in tandem with our at-home kits or solely in our office for more effective, faster results. Ask about this option when you contact us for an appointment.

Thoughts regarding “over-the-counter bleaching kits”:

When you visit your local pharmacy, you may see a number of at-home teeth whitening kits. Unfortunately, we warn our patients against choosing this option because most of them expose your gums to large amounts of bleaching agent, which can irritate your gums, especially if they are more sensitive. These kits may also cause irreparable damage to your tooth enamel and potentially even the pulp chamber within your teeth. When you choose one of our kits, even our take-home options, the tray is custom fit to your mouth, which means the gel stays where it should and enhances how quickly and effectively it works for the results you want.

“The price may be right, but the results aren’t; over-the-counter whitening kits aren’t safe,” according to experts

Toothpastes marketed as tooth whitening products aren’t typically safe either because of the abrasive substances and chemicals they use to remove stains. If you brush too roughly as well, you could potentially remove the enamel from the surface of your teeth, causing further issues.

Many people are under the false impression these products are safe because they are offered over-the-counter, but this isn’t the case. Research has proven these products are more likely to cause damage to the gums, tooth pulp, enamel and other parts of the mouth.

PROBLEM

Dark stains

Years of wear and tear can lead to stains that won’t seem to “erase.” As you age, the pulp inside your teeth shrinks and darker-colored dentin fills in. Over time, regular professional cleanings can help undo minimal staining; but if that doesn’t do the trick, we can suggest a few whitening options. There are two particular types of stains that can affect your teeth…

Entrinsic Stain: This is caused by tetracycline, flourosis or severe hypocalcification (deep white spots). These can be masked with crowns or veneers.

Entrinsic Stain: These are caused by smoking, coffee, tea, red wine or sometimes even mouthwash. These can be treated with prophylaxix and if needed, whitening.

SOLUTION

Laser teeth whitening

At Comfort Care Dental we offer several options for whitening your teeth to their brightest and whitest natural state.