Over time, your teeth will suffer some degree of discoloration. Luckily, in-office teeth whitening treatments are a great solution. However, many patients don’t understand how it works, and the staff at The Healthy Smile Center in Ashtabula, OH, want to explain. This simple treatment can transform your smile in as little as 60 minutes, and understanding how it works will help you better care for your teeth going forward.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
There are three forms of tooth discoloration: extrinsic, intrinsic, and age-related. The first occurs when the enamel is stained from things such as coffee, red wine, and cigarettes. Intrinsic stains occur when the sensitive dentin structure below the enamel becomes stained. This is usually related to trauma and will turn the tooth yellow. Age-related stains are a natural side effect of dentin aging. Each requires a specific degree of teeth whitening treatment to fully address all of the stains.
While at-home teeth whitening solutions can be effective for extrinsic stains over time, you’ll achieve optimal and immediate results from an in-office treatment. During a session, your dentist will apply a whitening gel to your teeth. It usually contains hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. This is done via a custom-fitted tray that covers the front surfaces of your teeth. To begin whitening, the dentist will use a curing light to activate the peroxide. It then penetrates the different levels of your teeth to begin cleaning all present stains. Your dentist will leave the teeth whitening agents on for 30 to 60 minutes until the preferred shade of white has been achieved. Since it’s a non-invasive treatment, you can leave immediately after and will notice results immediately.
Restore your pearly whites with a whitening treatment during the new year. If you’re interested in exploring the benefits of teeth whitening further, turn to the staff at The Healthy Smile Center. They offer comprehensive general and cosmetic dentistry services, and their staff is dedicated to helping patients maintain healthy smiles. Call (440) 992-2700 today to schedule an appointment and visit their website and Facebook to learn about how they can treat TMJ and other oral issues.
