Offering Bluffton Patients Options for Brighter Smiles!
If you are looking for a safe, affordable, and non-invasive way to restore your smile, teeth whitening from Bluffton dentist Dr. Joel Darrah at Buckwalter Dental Care may be the right option for you! Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments because it’s so efficient and the results are beautiful.
Millions of Americans whiten their teeth every year to remove yellowing and surface stains caused by the natural aging process. If you want a brighter smile, call us today to schedule an appointment
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Almost all effective teeth whitening products use the same active ingredients, called “peroxides”. Peroxides are highly volatile oxygen molecules that remove stains and bleach your teeth for a brighter smile. Professional products ensure that all of your teeth are whitening evenly and that your gums aren’t damaged by the peroxides.
Teeth whitening is effective for any external tooth stain, whether it’s caused by dark colored food and beverages, tobacco use, or the natural aging process. However, teeth whitening cannot be used to treat internal discoloration.
The Benefits Of Take Home Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening treatments have many benefits. Here’s just a few that you can look forward to:
- Restored self-confidence – You can smile and speak freely, with teeth that are free from embarrassing stains or yellowing.
- Makes you look younger – Because our teeth tend to yellow as we age, whitening your teeth can help take years off of your appearance, and rejuvenate your entire face.
- Fast, inexpensive, and non-invasive – Teeth whitening is the least expensive cosmetic dentistry procedures, and it can be performed in just one appointment without anesthetic or any kind of invasive surgery.
Does Teeth Whitening Damage Your Teeth?
Teeth whitening is completely safe when performed under the guidance of your dentist. When you go to a dental office to whiten your teeth professionally, you know you’re using ADA-approved products in the proper concentrations and that they won’t be applied for too long.
You can run into issues with your teeth when you attempt to use over-the-counter whitening trays from drugstores that are not ADA-approved. These can contain a harmful amount of peroxide and can be used incorrectly if left on for too long or if applying too much of the whitening gel.
We will give you verbal and written instructions on how to use our whitening trays, how much whitening gel to apply, and how long to keep these trays on. The most common side effect of professional teeth whitening is temporary tooth sensitivity.
To remove intrinsic stains, we need to increase tooth porosity. The whitening agent does this by demineralizing the teeth and enabling the peroxide to penetrate below the top layer of the tooth. As a result, this exposes the dentinal tubules in your teeth which are connected to nerves responsible for sensation.
For about 48 hours, your teeth may be more sensitive than normal, but it will dissipate once your teeth naturally remineralize themselves. This can also be alleviated by using desensitizing gel, a toothpaste for sensitive teeth, and avoiding foods and drinks at extreme temperatures until the sensitivity dissipates.
How Long Does Teeth Whitening Last?
Teeth whitening lasts for as long as you decide to maintain the results. The average length of whitening results is 6 months to 3 years. The more you consume staining foods and drinks or use tobacco products, the more stains you’ll reintroduce to your teeth.
This will stain your newly whitened teeth so we recommend avoiding smoking or using any tobacco products. While it may be too difficult to eliminate all staining food and drinks, you can certainly limit them and drink through a straw to preserve your white teeth. The biggest offenders are red wine, soda, coffee and tea, and dark sauces.
Am I a Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Are you in good oral health but are unhappy with your tooth shade? That makes you an excellent candidate for teeth whitening. We can’t perform any cosmetic treatments on your teeth before taking care of active oral health problems so we will need to examine and take x-rays to rule out the presence of active oral health issues.
If you’re all clear, Dr. Darrah will assess the severity of discoloration to determine if you will respond well to teeth whitening and if you will need to return for multiple sessions. The best way to determine if you’re a good candidate is to come in for a consultation at Buckwalter Dental Care today!
Contact Us Now Get The Bright Smile You Deserve!
Whether you’ve quit smoking and are looking to restore your smile, or you want a brighter smile for an upcoming special occasion, the team at Buckwalter Dental Care can help! Dr. Darrah can provide you with either in-office or at-home teeth whitening solutions for a quick confidence boost. Give us a call at (843) 815-3232, or drop by our office at 31 Innovation Dr, #2, Bluffton, SC 29910 for an appointment. We’d love to hear from you!
