This article provides a brief overview of teeth whitening, how it works and what the treatment involves.
Coffee, tea, red wine, blueberries, cola, balsamic vinegar, soy and curry sauces, sports energy drinks and certain candy… the list goes on. There is a plethora of foods and beverages that contain pigments and tannins that seep into the tiny pores of our dental enamel, making our teeth appear darker and not-so pearly white. This discoloration can typically be removed with a swift brushing, but over the years, the staining accumulates at a level that toothbrushing becomes ineffectual. The result is a dulled and unaesthetic smile.
The great news is that many Colorado Springs dentists offer teeth whitening as a quick, simple and inexpensive treatment for patients who would like to put the glint back into their grin!
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
“Teeth whitening treatment involves the repeat exposure of the outer surfaces of the teeth to a bleaching agent, such as hydrogen peroxide,” explain Colorado Springs dentists. “This serves to whiten the dental enamel, making the teeth appear a few shades lighter than before, which can totally change the appearance of one’s smile.”
Teeth whitening is generally recommended to Colorado Springs residents whose teeth have become discolored by various staining foods and beverages over the years. What this treatment cannot eliminate is deep staining caused by certain medications and conditions such as fluorosis (over-exposure to fluoride during one’s formative years.)
“Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment only,” explain Colorado Springs dentists. “We are always sure to diagnose the cause of dental discoloration prior to putting together a whitening kit for patients. There’s no sense in bleaching teeth that have become discolored as a result of decay because the origin of said discoloration is internal and will simply persist to the point of tooth loss if left unaddressed.”
What Does Treatment Involve?
Teeth whitening is incredibly simple and easy to do. If you’ve noticed your teeth looking a little dulled and discolored, it can make a big difference and a huge cosmetic improvement without looking unnatural. Next time you go to your Colorado Springs dentist for a check-up and cleaning, ask him or her to prepare a teeth whitening kit for you.
You will have a mold made of your teeth, which will be used to custom fabricate a mouth tray for you. Some Colorado Springs teeth whitening offices can get this done on the same day as your appointment if you wait around for half an hour. Others will require that you return the next day for collection.
Your teeth whitening kit will consist of your customized mouth tray and a special whitening gel that contains a percentage of carbamide peroxide (the bleaching agent). You line the tray with this gel so that it is evenly distributed and will make contact with every surface of your dentition, from the front incisors to the back molars. You then press this tray against your teeth and bite down gently.
“We generally recommend that patients wear these trays for an hour or two, once a day, for one to two weeks,” say Colorado Springs dentists. “The exact length of treatment depends upon the degree of discoloration and staining and the results a patient wishes to see.”
Every day, the shade of your teeth will lighten until, once the desired level of whitening has been achieved, you can cease treatment. And that’s really all there is to it! Quick, simple and inexpensive!
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