A Dazzling Smile

Are Your Yellow Teeth Holding You Back?

Whether it is to improve self esteem, make you look more attractive to others or simply to keep up with the Jones's, teeth whitening is certainly all the craze today. Movie stars have sparkling white teeth; many reality stars have them and so do virtually all television personalities (news, sportscaster's, talk show hosts and so on). Like those waif-looking beauties strutting down the modeling runways, these enamel glistening posers must all be seeing the dentist to the stars, or are they? I mean who has such perfect teeth?

Hollywood stars are known for their smoking, coffee drinking and of course, frequent visits to rehab. Don't all of these things stain their teeth? Sure they do, but they also sought professional dental help to restore their pearly whites to their natural shine. These celebrities do not rely on the over-the-counter remedies we all see on TV and in the grocery store. They get theirs done right by a professional.

For people who want a smile that is brighter, the process of tooth whitening can be easily administered. Tooth whitening can reduce staining and discoloration and ultimately grant a patient a whiter and brighter set of teeth. But how much really can your teeth become whiter? Some tooth whitening products claim that your teeth can become nine shades whiter. This is exaggerating. A whitening of two or three shades is more possible and can already provide a significant change in a person’s smile.

It is important to note at this point that our teeth have no uniform whiteness. Usually, the whitest teeth are the two front teeth while molars are generally two shades darker. A realistic goal for anyone wishing to have a whiter set of teeth is for the process to achieve its optimum level while retaining the natural look of white teeth. Besides, the whitening results vary from patient to patient depending on the teeth structure and procedure type.

What Causes Tooth Discoloration?

Aging, chemical damage and staining are factors that contribute to discoloration as are medications, tea, coffee, cola soft drinks and cigarette. There are also other factors that affect the color of teeth like genetics and disease. Some people have naturally whiter teeth enamel and their children can acquire this gene trait. But if you suspect that there’s a physiological factor behind the color of your teeth, it is best to consult your physician too so you can better inform your dentist.

Teeth whitening corrects the discoloration in your teeth by removing the staining on your teeth. And there are a number of methods or techniques that can be used to achieve this such as the following: mild acid whitening, chemical whitening, abrasive teeth whitening and the latest one: laser teeth whitening.

The Basics of Teeth Whitening

The two most effective approaches to teeth whitening are in-office laser treatment and at-home teeth whitening with custom-fit trays designed by your dentist. Most over the counter remedies will work to some degree but will not guarantee the same level of results these professional treatments will. Over-the-counter approaches will likely lighten your teeth by three to five shades while professional treatments will improve pigmentation by 10 shades or more.

If you opt for a professional whitening treatment, the cosmetic dentist first molds a custom mouth tray or mouth guard for his patient. Creating the mouth tray is critical because this controls the amount of whitening agent to be used and holds the entire teeth for even whitening. Other material requirements for the home procedure are fairly easy to handle. The dentists should make sure that the patient is well-instructed and well-equipped.

Typically, the mouth guard containing the whitening solution must be worn overnight or as instructed by your dentist and/or recommended by the product literature. The session could also last for as short as 2 or 3 hours. This really depends in the product and your own whitening need.

Professional Laser Treatment

A good ballpark price range for the in-office laser treatment is somewhere between $400-$900 for both the top and bottom teeth. However, in many cases, more than one treatment will be necessary for the best results and your dentist may recommend you follow up this treatment with a custom-tray at-home remedy prescribed by them. This will obviously add more cost to your bottom line.

Putting the premium pricing aside, the biggest advantage to professional treatments is the immediacy and duration of the effect. With the laser treatment, you will see full results as soon as the procedure is finished, and with at-home custom-fit trays, your dentist has given you professional-grade bleaching gel to keep your teeth white for a long time to come. Tre White by Opalescence, is a professional whitening kit that has pre filled disposable trays worn for 30-60 minutes once a day. You'll see results in 5 to 10 days. It's available at www.cleure.com .

While teeth whitening may or may not be something you are considering right now, some things are certain when you do decide to take the plunge:

• You will feel more confident  
• You will look more attractive  
• People won't be turned off by your graying/yellowing smile any longer  
• The approach is much cheaper and less intrusive than other cosmetic surgeries like liposuction, face lifts and tummy tucks  
• There is no pain involved.  
• It is completely safe.  

The best thing for you to do if you are considering brightening your teeth is to speak with your dentist who will discuss the best treatments for you.

FAQs On Tooth Whitening

What Is Tooth Whitening?

Tooth whitening is a process that “bleaches” the teeth, removing it of stains on the enamel and dentin to affect a lightening of any discoloration present. A common tooth whitening procedure uses carbamide peroxide poured over a custom mouth-guard worn over the teeth.

What Is Tooth Discoloration?

Defining tooth discoloration depends upon its many causes and it is important to distinguish between an external and internal stain.

• External stains: tobacco, tea, coffee and juices like grape and apple, coffee, tea and tobacco

• Internal stains: excessive fluoride (during teeth formation), aging, trauma, nerve deneration, tetracycline (while teeth are forming)

Only professional whitening procedures such as the custom tray bleaching can remove both internal and external stains. Over-the-counter tooth whitening products like toothpastes only remove the external stains.

Who Can Undergo Tooth Whitening?

Anybody can benefit from a tooth whitening procedure. A certain procedure though may be less effective for some people. Patients whose teeth are stained by tetracycline may experience difficulty in achieving the desired whiteness. People with veneers, crowns or fillings may also experience uneven whiteness because these dental fixtures do not whiten along with the rest of the teeth.

Can A Pregnant or Nursing Woman Bleach Her Teeth?

It is recommended and dentists agree that a pregnant woman and nursing mother should avoid any teeth whitening procedure. The reason for this is there’s no clinical studies done yet to find out the effects of the bleaching agents to a woman’s health if she’s pregnant or nursing.

Why Are There Teeth That Do Not Whiten Evenly With The Rest?

The sides of your teeth and the biting edges whiten more quickly than the rest. This is so because of the thicker enamel in these areas. Teeth with thicker enamel respond faster to the bleaching agent than teeth with thinner enamel. Continue with your whitening procedure and the whiteness will even out eventually.

Is Tooth Whitening Safe?

The most preferred tooth whitening procedure is the custom-fit tray bleaching that uses carbamide peroxide. This procedure, when done under the supervision of an oral healthcare professional or a dentist, is safe. There’s no danger of the bleaching agent harming your teeth and gums. It also does not damage the enamel or cause any tooth weakening. The only short term side-effect is tooth sensitivity which goes away quickly when the process is stopped.

If your have any more questions that concern you but are not discussed in this article, consult your dentist. The more you know about tooth whitening, the more confident you will be of any procedure you will choose.

On the next page we will talk about another popular form of cosmetic dentistry, Veneers and Lumineers.