There are many causes of discolored or stained teeth. Here are the most common ones that cause our teeth to lose whiteness:. Vital whitening Vital whitening is a common type of tooth whitening that uses a gel applied directly to the toot h surface.
You can do this procedure at home or come and visit us to help you whiten your teeth. At our office, we use a powerful whitening gel and a specialized laser that activates the gel. This causes the bleaching process to occur faster. To completely whiten yo ur teeth, you will have to have one to three appointments. Depending on the severity of your stains and how white you desire your teeth to be, you can have more procedures done. We will apply a substance to cover and protect your gums, and then place the whitening gel on your teeth.
Depending on the whitening gel, laser light or heat from the light can be used to activate the gels. Since teeth are porous, the whitening gel is absorbed by the enamel and dentin layers of the tooth. The active ingredient in whitening gels is hydrogen peroxide, which removes stains and is then safely absorbed by the body. Most over the counter whitening products use low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, while cosmetic dentists use higher concentrations to get faster, more effective results.
This is because when applied to the teeth, hydrogen peroxide acts as a catalyst for an oxidation reaction to occur. The oxidation reaction breaks down the molecular bonds of discolored molecules, causing the stains to vanish.
In simpler terms, hydrogen peroxide dissolves stains from the enamel and dentin layers in order to whiten the teeth. Even though the whitening gel is only on your teeth for a limited amount of time, it will remain effective for the first 24 hours after application.
At this point, you are probably wondering how an LED light can help this process along. An LED, or light-emitting diode, releases a single color of light on the visible light spectrum when exposed to electricity. In the past UV, or ultraviolet light, was used to aid in the whitening process. However, UV light has been found to cause cell mutations that can lead to cancer. LED lights require minimal power, are long-lasting, and do not require a warming up period to be effective. Although their light is more intense than other types of light, they are also much cooler due to their ability to dissipate heat.
At-home teeth whitening is generally not as effective as in-office whitening procedures. This is because a lower concentration of bleach is used in at-home kits.
In-office whitening is also performed by trained dental professionals. One of the most common questions asked in regards to tooth whitening is how long it takes to see results.
Most patients will see results immediately following the in-office procedure. The full effects of tooth whitening can usually be seen after the first 24 hours. If you use at-home whitening kits, it can take longer to see results.
Due to the lower concentration of whitening agents, it can take upwards of two to three weeks to achieve the results you are looking for. When patients follow a healthy diet, avoid teeth staining food and drink, avoid smoking, and maintain regular dental cleanings, the results of teeth whitening can last several months to a year. The results can also be maintained with at-home custom whitening trays. Contact your local dentists at Hancock Village Dental today to schedule professional tooth whitening services.
Excellent staff. I have been to a lot of dentists over my years, but this staff was the best ever. Very Impressed. The hygenist taught me a lot about my teeth that I never knew. The office was extremely clean and used modern technology. I was seen in a very timely manner and didn't have to wait at all. I highly recommend going to this practice! Laura Stein Florida.
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