The Truth about Teeth Whitening: What to Consider Before Bleaching Your Teeth

Teeth whitening treatments are arguably the best marketed dental treatments available; just about everyone has heard of Zoom!, even if they aren’t looking to get their teeth bleached. While there’s plenty of information available about teeth whitening, there’s just as much misinformation.  Below, we help clarify some truths about whitening, so you can get a better understanding of what to look for and expect.

In-Office Teeth Whitening vs. Take-Home Whitening Kits

Many patients believe that in-office, or laser and light-activated teeth bleaching is somehow better than other methods. Whether you should choose the at-home or in-office method depends on why you’re looking to get your teeth bleached and how much time you can give to treatment.

In-office teeth whitening is best for patients who are in a time-crunch – they have a big event coming up and need instant results. While the light used with in-office teeth bleaching helps activate the whitening agent, it does not produce dramatically different results that would lead patients to choose one treatment over the other.

Take-home teeth whitening kits produce the same whitening results, just in a different method.  If you have about two weeks to dedicate to whitening your teeth, you can do so from the comfort of your own home.

Most Patients Will Experience Some Tooth Sensitivity

Even drugstore teeth whitening strips will create tooth sensitivity, but any discomfort can be easily managed with over-the-counter pain medication. Additionally, there are some brands of teeth whitening treatments that tend to produce less sensitivity on average, so it’s important to check with your dentist about what to expect with what they offer.

For Some People, Teeth Whitening May Not Work

Standard whitening treatment is best for patients whose teeth have been stained by food, drink, and even tobacco. But some things that discolor teeth, such as medication, aging, and health problems may not be positively affected by teeth bleaching. In these instances, a treatment like porcelain veneers might be indicated over standard whitening.

Hillcrest Dental Group welcomes patients into their Petaluma cosmetic dental office to learn more about teeth whitening, treatment options, expected outcomes, and alternate treatments. For more information about our whitening procedures, contact Dr. DeBerardinis and her friendly dental team.

How Do Veneers Work?

A dental veneer is a thin piece of porcelain that cosmetic dentists place on top of your teeth in order to achieve a certain aesthetic effect.  Think of veneers as similar, in some ways, to a contact lens – a thin layer of material used to augment and improve a natural look or function.

There are different types of veneers, applied via different methods that help you achieve a better-looking smile. But all dental veneers work by concealing and covering flaws and damage in the following ways:

Building up of tooth-colored resin  - Resin veneers camouflage cracks, chips, and deep staining on teeth by way of building up a composite material that looks just like your real teeth. Your cosmetic dentist “paints” this material on your teeth, with the result being teeth that look flawless and damage-free.

Covering natural teeth – What most people know as veneers are the thin shells made of porcelain, as described above.  Your dentist will buff down a small amount of tooth enamel so that the shell lays flush on your teeth and doesn’t looker thicker than any of your surrounding natural teeth.

There are also “no-prep” veneers that work the same way as regular veneers, by covering up flaws on teeth; however, the “no-prep” style of veneers are typically thinner and require either buffing down a smaller amount of dental enamel, or none.  After preparing your teeth, veneers are bonded in place with strong dental cement.

Veneers can help you achieve a whitening effect for your smile, and can even make teeth look straighter, if you’re struggling with mild crowding or gaps between teeth.  Many cosmetic dentists will work with you to help you pick a desired shade for your teeth, especially if you’re getting veneers on all of the top teeth in your smile zone.  Because veneers are bonded in place, they can last for many years with proper care.

If you have questions about how veneers can help you cover damaged teeth, or disguise flaws on teeth, contact Hillcrest Dental Group today for your cosmetic dentistry consultation.  We customize treatment to fit your needs, as well as your goals for an improved smile.