White and bright teeth are the dream for everybody. Unfortunately, many of people have cosmetic tooth problems, more or less, such as discolored, chipped, misshapen or missing teeth. Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental technique to reduce discoloration and staining on teeth, or simply to provide the patient with whiter, brighter teeth. I’ve prepared a series of articles on teeth whitening for you to better understand what teeth whitening can do for you.
The term “tooth whitening” refers to a number of techniques to improve the brightness of the patient’s teeth. Among them are chemical whitening, mild acid whitening, abrasive teeth brightening and the newest technique, ZOOMï UV light tooth whitening.
Tooth bleaching is a chemical process used to lighten the color of the patient's teeth. The procedure can be performed entirely in a dental office or it can be performed by the patient in their home, using materials provided by the dentist. The home method is often used because it can be controlled partially by the patient themselves.
Before the patient embarks on the home tooth whitening regimen, the cosmetic dentist creates a custom mouth tray for the patient. The custom tray is a critical component of the treatment. It ensures that the correct amount of whitening solution is used and that the patient's teeth are properly exposed to the whitening solution. The custom made mouth tray provides for a better fit than a one-size-fits-all mouth tray to help increase the margin of patient safety.
The steps in the home tooth whitening regimen are fairly straightforward. The cosmetic dentist's office provides the patient with the materials and instructions and also answers any questions the patient may have about the routine. The dentist's office can also provide you with off-site supervision should you have any questions once you've begun the process.
A home whitening session can last for a half an hour or even up to three hours, during which time you will have the tray and solution in your mouth. Depending upon your tooth conditions and desired results, your dentist may instruct you to keep the tray in your mouth overnight. Typically, you will follow your home tooth whitening regimen for two to four weeks and after you will return to your dentist for a follow up visit. I will give more infromation to other teeth whitening techniques in the next issues.
For more information, please call Dr. Sun at 661-799-8800, visit www.DrSunDDS.com , or go to her dental office at 23450 Lyons Avenue, Suite B, Newhall.