Teeth are naturally off-white and will darken with age and lifestyle factors such as smoking or consuming certain foods and drinks. Many people desire a brighter smile either to restore tooth colour or enhance brightness.
There are two main factors that contribute to tooth discolouration;
- Surface Stains (extrinsic discolouration)
- The Tooth Itself (intrinsic discolouration)
The restoration of your natural tooth shade starts with cleaning and polishing your teeth to remove calculus (hard calcium deposits) and tartar. Professional scaling and polishing of your teeth can go a long way in restoring colour due to external surface stains.
If you desire to whiten your natural tooth shade even further or to fix discolouration beyond a certain level, professional cosmetic procedures can be done to achieve your desired shade. There are two main ways to professionally whiten your teeth.
In-Office Whitening
A protective gel, shield or rubber dam is used to protect your gums from the bleaching agent, carbamide peroxide, which is a form of hydrogen peroxide. The bleaching agent is then applied onto your teeth. This procedure usually takes 30 to 90 minutes, over one to three visits to our dental office.
At-Home Whitening
A custom-formed impression is made of your teeth and is then turned into a dental stone cast. A custom-made vacuum form tray is created from the cast. We give you a professionally formulated bleaching solution to use with the custom mouthguard that is left in your mouth for a specified time.
Some products are intended for twice-daily use for up to two weeks. Others are intended for overnight use for one to two weeks. Before you purchase any tooth whitener product, Dr. Bible would be happy to discuss your oral health to determine which tooth whitener is right for you.