Teeth WhiteningTeeth whitening is one of the most sought-after procedures at our DiMeo Family Dental clinics. Teeth can become discolored for various reasons. Discolored teeth are not very appealing and everyone would likely want to have a pearly white smile. That’s what our teeth whitening procedure seeks to achieve. The procedure lightens the enamel of a tooth by removing any discoloration and stains on it. The enamel is the outside surface of a tooth. Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that can be performed by our dentist. Your lifestyle and eating habits are largely responsible for the color of your teeth. Periodic teeth whitening is necessary if you want to maintain bright white teeth. You can make the procedure part of your treatment in your half-yearly dental appointment. What Causes Teeth DiscolorationAs mentioned above, teeth discoloration is a result of a certain lifestyle and eating habits. The natural color of teeth is white, although the shade differs from one person to the other. The enamel layer of a tooth is called the dentin and is responsible for the natural color of the tooth. Habits such as smoking tobacco and drinking colored drinks and beverages cause staining on the enamel. Poor oral hygiene is also a common cause of teeth discoloration. The enamel has pores that are very notorious for holding stains. A layer of discoloration forms on the enamel and causes the tooth to lose its natural color. Old age can also cause the teeth to become discolored. The enamel grows thinner as one ages. This makes the dentin clearer, which also becomes darker with age. The Whitening ProcedureBefore the whitening procedure is carried out, our dentist has to ensure you are not suffering from other dental issues. Issues such as dental cavities and receding gums can affect the outcome of the tooth whitening procedure. The whitening might also cause further complications if carried out over underlying dental health issues. The whitening procedure starts will a consultation appointment, in which our dentist examines your dental health, and finds out how much work has to be done on your teeth. Our dentists usually take photographs of your discolored teeth so that they can monitor the progress as the treatment commences. The photos are also compared with those taken after the procedure to assess its effectiveness. Our dentist might also want to know what caused the staining, and may, therefore, ask a couple of questions about your lifestyle and eating habits. The actual whitening involves the use of a gel that contains hydrogen peroxide which is a known bleaching agent. Your gums will be covered with a protective substance before the bleaching gel is applied to your teeth. The gel is then activated using a laser beam. The laser beam reinforces the bleaching activity of the gel. The process takes anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on how much teeth surface has to be covered. This procedure can be repeated once or twice, depending on the extent of teeth discoloration. Call DiMeo Family Dental at (772) 362-9555 if you need clarification concerning teeth whitening. Our teeth whitening procedure will ensure you end up with a set of pearly white teeth and an incredibly bright smile. |
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