During the summer, we often see patients in Astoria, NY, looking for brighter smiles. To offer smiles brightened by several shades, we may recommend our home-based teeth whitening option. How does our at-home whitening work? What if a patient suffers from permanent teeth stains?
The Causes of Your Teeth Stains
Basically, there are two distinct types of discoloration. The most common is known as extrinsic, which forms on the surface of the teeth. These can be caused by the foods and drinks we consume, as well as poor oral hygiene, and smoking and tobacco use. They can be easily removed with teeth whitening. However, intrinsic stains, which form underneath the tooth enamel and may be caused by fluorosis, injury to the teeth, or tetracycline use at a young age, may need to be masked with a custom-made restoration, such as a veneer, or possibly with cosmetic dental bonding.
Brighten Your Smile From Home
For extrinsic stains and minor intrinsic discoloration, we may prescribe our at-home teeth whitening system. We first create a custom set of trays from an acrylic material. We next provide the patient with a powerful bleaching gel. At home, the patient will add gel to the tray and wear it, usually for 30 to 45 minutes each day. The trays hold the gel in place and evenly spreads it across the smile. The total treatment period will depend on the cause and severity of discoloration, but usually falls between a week and ten days. For some, smiles could be brightened by multiple shades! If you have intrinsic stains that won’t respond to trays and gel, we may discuss methods of masking them and helping you achieve a brighter smile with veneers or bonding.
Keep Your Smile Bright
Following your treatment, you’ll feel proud of your results and want them to last. To help, we suggest maintaining regular care of your smile. This includes brushing twice a day for two minutes and flossing every night before going to bed. These actions remove food particles that could cause plaque buildup if broken down by bacteria. Plaque is a major factor in the appearance of stains. A routine dental cleaning every six months will allow us to completely remove all plaque from your smile, and polish your teeth. Finally, try to cut back on sugary foods and drinks, and beverages with dark pigments, to help your smile stay brighter for longer. If you have any questions, please contact our team today.
Do You Have Questions About Cosmetic Care?
If you have stained teeth, then we may have a solution that you can use from the comfort of your own home. For more information on teeth whitening, or to schedule a consultation, call Jeffrey Leibowitz, DDS, in Astoria, NY, today at 718-728-8320.
