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Posted on May 1st, 2009 in Uncategorized |
Are you afraid to smile? Would you rather take the picture instead of be in it, because you are too self-conscious of the color, shape, or positioning of your teeth? Are you afraid to yawn for fear of revealing all of those silver fillings?
Many of my patients think that their teeth are too dark, too crooked, overcrowded, chipped, or just misshapen. They want that “Hollywood” smile, and they often bring a magazine to my office, point to the cover and say, “I want a smile just like that!”
There are a wide range of cosmetic dental enhancements available that can help you achieve the look you want. Though these enhancements are only “skin deep”, they can bring you pleasure, and perhaps give your self-confidence a little boost.
Please use this Blog to post any questions that you have about Cosmetic and Implant dentistry and they will be answered. We will also answer questions about other areas of dentistry.
To find out more about us, please visit www.familydental.net
Thank you,
Dr. Kessler
4 Responses
What is the best way to whiten teeth?
Intrinsic stains, which are stains within the tooth itself, must be removed through bleaching. This can be accomplished either at home when overseen by your dentist, or in the dental office with a carbamide-peroxide or hydrogen-peroxide solution. It is usually two to three years before it is necessary to repeat the bleaching process. I caution you to avoid any whitening procedure without supervision by your dentist for several reasons that include:
Not everyone is a candidate for bleaching, so you should be evaluated first by a dentist. One reason to check with your dentist is to ensure that you will not be sensitive to the procedure. It may be necessary to replace some older fillings with new fillings prior to the process, to avoid sensitivity. Also, because porcelain and tooth-colored fillings tend not to bleach, you may want to replace them after bleaching in order to improve aesthetics.
Not all over-the-counter bleaching solutions are pH-balanced. Some may cause irritation of the gums.
Bleaching can sometimes lead to sensitive teeth, which your dentist can help by changing the concentration of the solutions or administering fluoride.
It is important to have a custom-fitted mouth guard so that the bleaching gel remains on your teeth, rather than on your gums. The combination in-office/take-home whitening procedure In this procedure, models are taken of your mouth, and a custom-fitted bleaching tray is made for you. I instruct my patients to wear the tray for a period of two weeksfor four hours each day, or they may wear it overnight. Results vary depending upon the original color and shade of your teeth (i.e., some teeth are naturally yellow, reddish-brown, or gray.)
In-office whitening
As a matter of convenience, many of my patients choose in-office whitening. A special external light source (laser, halogen or gas plasma) is used to activate the bleaching gel solution. The process is safe, easy, and fast. Results are accomplished in just one appointment. Sometimes it may be necessary to use a combination of in-office and at-home bleaching in order to achieve the patient’s desired results.
Whitening toothpastes
Although whitening toothpastes may remove stains, I only recommend them for maintenance after the bleaching process has been completed.
hey this is a very interesting article!
Thank you… please post any questions you may have about Dentistry