Let’s face it, we live in a culture where people notice and value a great set of pearly whites. I became a dentist because I wanted to help patients receive quality dental care and the smile of their dreams. There are millions of Americans walking around who are displeased with their smile. That can mean alignment issues, discoloration or even missing teeth.
Cosmetic dentistry is about more than having beautiful teeth; it has been proven to increase people’s confidence and open up new career and personal opportunities. Studies show that people with beautiful, straight teeth are more successful and believed to be more intelligent.
At Eugene Family Dental, we work to help patients get the smile they have always wanted through cosmetic dentistry treatments like teeth-whitening. Patients can have discolored teeth from aging, dark drinks like coffee and tea and even certain medicines.
Teeth-whitening is one of the most common cosmetic dental treatments available. It’s so common, in fact, that just about anyone can get their hands on whitening products over-the-counter. Companies are now selling whitening gels, whitening toothpastes, and, of course, whitening strips. While some of those products can work for people, we recommend that you consult our office before moving forward with treatments on your own.
Brighten Your Smile In One Day
The safest way to whiten your teeth is with oversight from our office. We offer both in-office and at-home whitening treatments that can improve the brightness of your teeth by several shades. There is a big difference between the two services and in how they are rendered, but the results are very similar.
For patients looking for a new smile instantly, we recommend teeth-whitening at the dentist. This is great for patients who need their teeth whitened just in time for a wedding or a big event in their life. Our in-office treatment is called Zoom Whitening, and it can transform a person’s smile in less than an hour! Sounds too good to be true, right? My patients almost can’t believe it either. The treatment is so successful that patients can improve the brightness of their teeth by six, seven, or even eight shades in one visit.
Here’s how it works: We first clean the teeth of plaque and then place a retractor over the lips. Then we apply a special whitening gel evenly on the teeth. Once the gel is in place, we activate it with a special light. The treatment is rendered in 15-minute intervals until you reach the desired shade. Patients are amazed at how white their teeth are after just an hour in the chair. After the treatment, we also give the patients custom take-home trays.
If you do not need results right away, we recommend at-home whitening treatments. This treatment works much differently and takes about four to six weeks for patients to have optimal results. We make custom mouthpieces and prescribe a whitening gel to evenly reach every tooth. We have patients wear the whitening trays for about an hour every night. We’ve had great results with our at-home trays.
Why See The Dentist For Whitening?
For optimal results, it’s best to visit our office for your whitening treatment so we can monitor and oversee your whitening treatment from start to finish. Over-the-counter whitening treatments are great ways to start whitening your smile, but be cautious about these agents and how you use them. My biggest concern with over-the-counter whitening methods is overuse. Overusing whitening agents can actually permanently damaged your teeth and gums. I’ve read case studies where patients have overused whitening strips and wore down healthy enamel or caused their gums to recede. Enamel is the hardest substance in your body, but even it can break down over time or under constant exposure to harmful agents or bacteria. Once the enamel is damaged, there’s no replacing it! You’ll need a restoration like a crown or veneer to repair the tooth. This is a huge problem and one that can be avoided with guidance from an oral health professional.
I only use whitening treatments on patients who are free of cavities and gum disease. If you’re using whitening treatments without the direction of a dentist, you can further aggravate outstanding issues and cause more harm than good.
In my experience, I’ve seen whitening treatments turn even the most dingy teeth into flashing pearly whites. I love seeing the reaction on my patients’ faces every time they reach the end of their treatment!
If you have struggled with discolored teeth or would like to discuss or whitening treatments further, call our office today and schedule an appointment.
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