When it comes to teeth whitening, nothing tops the safe and proven results of professional dental treatments. The experienced dental team at MediDental Care in Astoria, New York, offers the most innovative cosmetic teeth whitening solutions available to get you shades brighter quickly. Restore your smile’s luster professionally in a single office visit, or in the convenience of your own home. Call MediDental Care in Queens or schedule an appointment online today
What is Teeth Whitening
Bright white teeth are the most important prerequisite for an attractive smile. Professional tooth whitening can help everyone smile again.
What is tooth whitening?
A tooth whitening refers to a cosmetic method for whitening teeth. In principle, bleaching is always low-risk and gentle and can, therefore, be repeated at regular intervals.
Why teeth stain
There are very few people who have naturally white teeth. In addition, tea, coffee, nicotine or red wine leave visible traces on our teeth. But not only plaque and discoloration from the outside make the teeth yellowish, but even a thin enamel also lets the dentin underneath, the dentin with its yellowish color, shine through.
Tooth enamel is the hardest tissue the human body has to offer. It consists of tiny crystals, the so-called melting prisms. Their color spectrum ranges from reddish to blue-gray. The iridescent effect is created by the light bending at the prisms. However, this effect is lost externally through plaque and discoloration.
However, internal discoloration is also very common: root fillings, medication (such as the antibiotic tetracycline) or injuries to the teeth are among the most common causes that make teeth shine disappear. In addition, dead teeth turn gray over time because they are no longer fed.
Professional whitening
Only the dentist can determine exactly what type of staining it is. Most dentists offer professional teeth whitening. There are various methods, such as bleaching the teeth with a splint: a bleaching agent with carbamide peroxide, which breaks down into hydrogen superoxide and urea, is applied to a splint specially made for the patient.
You wear the splint hourly or at night over a certain period of time. In between, the condition of the teeth is checked by the doctor. The dentist can also help with internal discoloration. To do this, the tooth must first be drilled out, then a bleaching agent is introduced into the tooth. This procedure sometimes has to be repeated several times.
Frequently asked questions about teeth whitening
Who can undergo teeth whitening treatment?
In general, professionally performed tooth whitening treatments are low-risk and gentle. That is why they can be recommended to anyone who wants whiter teeth almost without restriction. Before the actual teeth whitening, however, there should always be a thorough examination of the dentition by the dentist. On the one hand, diseases of the dentition, such as caries, should first be treated, and on the other hand, professional teeth cleaning can already achieve a good result. Even with existing or planned dentures (e.g. dental implants ), it is necessary that the patient is informed about the consequences of teeth whitening since the color of implants or ceramic constructions does not change due to teeth whitening and these may need to be adjusted.
How long does the tooth whitening result last?
If the teeth are whitened professionally, the result can be expected to last for one year or more. How long the result of a tooth whitening lasts, of course, also depends on several factors, which in turn are closely linked to the patient's behavior. The result is less permanent if the treated person smokes or regularly drinks beverages that stain the tooth structure, such as black tea or red wine.
How many shades can the tooth shade be lightened?
With teeth whitening performed professionally in a dental practice, the color of the teeth can be whitened by up to nine shades. With the home bleaching solution, the whitening is usually less: the tooth shade can be lightened by up to four shades.
Are teeth damaged by teeth whitening?
There is no fear of damage to the teeth from a professional tooth whitening. After treatment at the dentist, the teeth are sealed with a fluoride varnish in order to continue to protect them effectively from external influences. However, in order to ensure bleaching is safe, it is recommended to see a dentist for teeth whitening.
How does bleaching at the dentist differ from preparations for home use?
Teeth whitening at the dentist is significantly more expensive than using teeth whitening preparations at home, but professional treatment has several advantages: In contrast to treatment at home, the result can be precisely predetermined. In addition, the over-the-counter preparations are often ineffective despite a relatively high price, but in any case, are significantly less effective. At the same time, only a dentist can determine whether professional tooth cleaning is not sufficient to remove the unsightly stains and whether there is tooth damage that needs to be treated in advance of teeth whitening.
Can the whitening substance also be used with existing fixed dental implants or prostheses?
Basically yes, but it should be noted that dentures are not whitened when bleaching. It is therefore important to clarify before teeth whitening whether the use of new dentures is necessary, which in turn increases the treatment costs.
Can teeth whitening trigger allergies?
Whitening is a dental cosmetic procedure with a whitening gel, the ingredients of which vary depending on the manufacturer. You should, therefore, ask a dentist about the product used.
In the case of multiple allergies (multiple intolerances), you should first clarify the list of ingredients that you get from the whitening manufacturer or your dentist with your treating allergist.
An in-office application is generally recommended. Here you avoid a longer contact time with the whitening gel, the gel is applied to the tooth surface while leaving out your gums. Furthermore, there is specialist staff on site who can look after you individually.
Book an quick appointment at Meidientalcare.com, or visit Medidental Care, 2246 31st, Astoria, NY 11105