Summer is upon us and it is time to get ready for vacation and possibly the beach. Brightening your smile is as easy as visiting your dentist for a whitening treatment.

What Is Tooth Whitening?

Tooth whitening lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can greatly improve how your teeth look. A beautiful, healthy, white smile has the power to change your life and make you light up – inside and out! Dental Artistry is proud to be a certified GLO Science dental practice, offering our patients the very best teeth whitening experience and results available anywhere – with faster appointments, superior results, and little to no sensitivity.

Whitening is not a one-time procedure. It will need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain the brighter color.

What It’s Used For

The outer layer of a tooth is called the enamel. The color of natural teeth is created by the reflection and scattering of light off the enamel, combined with the color of the dentin under it. Your genes affect the thickness and smoothness of the enamel. Thinner enamel allows more of the color of the dentin to show through. Having smoother or rougher enamel also affects the reflection of light and therefore the color.

Every day, a thin coating (pellicle) forms on the enamel and picks up stains. Tooth enamel also contains pores that can hold stains. The most common reasons for teeth to get yellow or stained are:

Using tobacco
Drinking dark-colored liquids such as coffee, cola, tea and red wine
Not taking good care of your teeth
Aging makes teeth less bright as the enamel gets thinner and the dentin becomes darker.

Preparation

Other dental problems can affect the success of tooth whitening. For example, cavities need to be treated before teeth are whitened. That’s because the whitening solution can pass through decayed areas and reach the inner parts of the tooth. If your gums have receded, the exposed roots of your teeth may appear yellow or discolored. Whitening products will not make them whiter.

Whitening can be done in the dental office or at home. For in-office whitening, your dentist probably will photograph your teeth first. This step will help him or her to monitor the progress of the treatment. Your dentist also will examine your teeth and ask you questions to find out what caused the staining.

Next, the dentist or a dental hygienist will clean your teeth. This will remove the film of bacteria, food and other substances that build up on your teeth and contribute to the staining. Once this is done, the whitening procedure begins.

GLO Dual Whitening

Get dramatic whitening results in under an hour with little to no sensitivity. The GLO amplifying mouthpiece with warming heat technology speeds up the whitening process for safe, clinically proven, professional whitening results. Then, you go home with the same award-winning device we use in the office, along with professional strength GLO whitening gel, so you can continue whitening at home for the longest lasting, most stable whitening results you can get.

KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching System

Another whitening option Dental Artistry offers is the KöR Whitening Deep Bleaching System. This system is a highly advanced in-office teeth whitening system designed to give instant results in a single visit. Dentists all over the country and around the world use KöR thanks to its unprecedented results in achieving the whitest possible smile from the darkest, heavily stained, and yellowed teeth. Patients enjoy the KöR Whitening System because it is gentle, yet efficient. Millions of people have already used the system, and clinical tests have proven it to be highly safe and effective. Virtually anyone between ages 14 and 90 can use it, as KöR is considered entirely safe for the teeth and gums. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Sammons and Dr. Laurent to find out which tooth whitening option will be a good fit for you!

Follow-Up

Whitening is not a permanent solution. The stains will come back. If you smoke or consume a lot of staining foods or drinks, you may see the whiteness start to fade in as little as one month. If you avoid the sources of staining, you may not need another whitening treatment for 6 to 12 months.

Re-whitening can be done in the dentist’s office or at home. If you have a custom-made mouthpiece and whitening agent at home, you can whiten your teeth as often as you need to. Discuss your whitening schedule with your dentist. You can talk about what whitening products would work best for you.

Let Dr. Sammons and Dr. Laurent transform your smile while you relax in comfort. Exceeding your expectations is our #1 goal!