Do you have tooth stains? Have your teeth become discolored over time? The dental team at Brookwood Dental Associates provides patients with teeth whitening in Lansdale, PA. Whitening treatment is a cosmetic dentistry solution that brightens the smile. Teeth whitening treatment overseen by a professional can erase years of stains from the tooth enamel.
What Causes Tooth Stains?
Teeth can become stained or discolored for many reasons. Common causes include the foods and drinks you consume, tobacco use, and dental injuries. Knowing what causes tooth stains can help you take better care of your teeth and prevent further staining:
- Foods and Drinks: Certain foods and beverages, like coffee, tea, red wine, berries, and tomato-based sauces, can stain your teeth over time. These items have strong pigments that stick to your tooth enamel. Drinking them often without rinsing or brushing afterward can make the stains worse.
- Tobacco: Smoking cigarettes, using chewing tobacco, or vaping can all lead to yellow or brown stains on your teeth. Tobacco products contain nicotine and tar, which quickly stick to enamel and are hard to remove. Over time, these stains can become darker and more difficult to treat.
- Injury: A dental injury, such as a hard hit to the mouth, can cause the inside of the tooth to change color. This is called intrinsic staining because it comes from within the tooth, not the surface. Cracks or chips in the enamel can also expose the dentin underneath. Dentin is a darker underlayer that can make the tooth appear discolored.
Teeth Whitening Options
Our office provides in-office and take-home whitening. We’ll recommend in-office treatment if you have an upcoming event, such as a wedding, graduation, or birthday. We can whiten your smile by up to eight shades in one visit. If you have sensitive teeth, you can benefit from a more gradual take-home whitening treatment.
Laser Whitening
Whitening with dental lasers offers a safe and quick way to see results. We provide in-office treatment with EPIC Laser Whitening.
To prepare for this treatment, we clean the teeth and then isolate the gums to minimize sensitivity. Then, we apply a bleaching gel to cover each tooth. Heat and light activate the hydrogen peroxide in the whitening gel. We use the laser pen to whiten the teeth in quadrants for a total treatment time of eight minutes.
Take-Home Whitening
We offer take-home whitening for patients who want to whiten their teeth in the comfort of their homes. In our office, we will take impressions of your teeth to custom-make bleaching trays to fit your mouth. The trays seal off saliva and prevent it from interfering with your treatment. The custom fit also keeps the whitening gel from touching your gums, which helps prevent sensitivity.
After we create the trays, we’ll send you home with your whitening kit. You’ll wear them for a certain amount each night for a select number of days. This process is more gradual but also more customizable. We’ll tell you how long to wear the trays every day to get you the results you want.
Alternatives to Teeth Whitening
Veneers and bonding are great options for patients with deep tooth stains that cannot be easily removed with regular cleanings or whitening treatments. These two procedures can help improve the appearance of the teeth and give patients a brighter, more confident smile.
Porcelain veneers are thin shells custom-made to fit over the front surface of the teeth. Veneers are made of materials designed to match the color and shape of the natural teeth. They’re also resistant to staining, so they can help maintain a whiter smile over time. We can apply a single veneer or cover all the teeth in your smile zone with veneers.
Tooth bonding involves applying a tooth-colored resin material to the surface of the teeth and then shaping and curing it into place. This procedure can also effectively cover up deep stains to give a more even and attractive look. We often recommend bonding for single teeth or for patients who don’t want to commit to veneers.
Professional vs. Store-Bought Whitening
Our professional teeth whitening in Lansdale, PA, has many benefits over store-bought varieties. Getting your teeth whitened by a dentist is better than using store-bought products. Dentists use a strong whitening gel that is made to be safe for your teeth and gums. If you need take-home whitening, we provide customized trays to make sure all your teeth get whitened evenly for a natural look.
Store-bought whitening treatments might not be as effective because they have weaker ingredients and can take longer to work. They can also make your teeth sensitive and might not give you even results. See us for professional whitening to get the best and safest results for your smile.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Do you want to learn more? We’re here to help. Read the answers to common questions about whitening treatment.
Does teeth whitening cause sensitivity?
At Brookwood Dental Associates, we help minimize tooth and gum sensitivity. Please let us know if you have a history of tooth sensitivity during your first consultation.
We can minimize gum sensitivity with in-office treatment by using a gum barrier. This barrier helps us deliver the whitening solution to the teeth. If you choose take-home whitening, we will review your bleaching gel options.
Can teeth whitening treat yellow teeth?
Yes, teeth whitening can help treat yellow teeth. Professional whitening treatments use special gels or lasers to break down stains and brighten your smile. You can get yellow teeth as you age, use tobacco products, or drink and eat staining foods and drinks.
Whitening can make your teeth several shades whiter. But if you have yellow teeth because of tooth damage or certain medications, we may suggest veneers or bonding.
Are there other cosmetic dental options to whiten teeth?
Some patients have stains that don’t go away with professional teeth whitening. This is because the discoloration comes from the inside of the tooth, not just the outer enamel. For these deep stains, we may recommend treatments like porcelain veneers, tooth bonding, or dental crowns. These options can help make your smile look brighter and also protect damaged teeth.
Are professional teeth whitening or store-bought options best for sensitivity?
Store-bought whitening toothpaste, pens, gels, and strips often do not deliver results. In addition, some patients may develop sensitivity due to using store-bought whitening treatments. When provided by a dental professional, teeth whitening treatment delivers brilliant results with minimal sensitivity.
How long do I wait to eat or drink after teeth whitening?
You can eat or drink right after the process. However, we recommend that you wait 48 hours before you consume anything likely to stain. Whitening opens up the pores of your teeth, and they stay open for a while afterward. If you need to drink coffee or other staining beverages during this time, drink through a straw to minimize contact with your teeth.
How long do teeth whitening results last?
The results can last anywhere from six months to two years. Various factors make it different for everyone. Genetics may increase your chance of yellow teeth, and your lifestyle habits also come into play. If you smoke or frequently drink coffee and black tea, your teeth will discolor faster than those who don’t.
Am I a good candidate for teeth whitening?
Most patients are good candidates for teeth whitening. However, we don’t recommend it for patients under 16, because their teeth are still growing and developing.
We also want to find the root cause of stains before we treat them. If you have tooth stains from medication or trauma, it won’t respond to traditional whitening techniques. We’ll recommend other options, like porcelain veneers, instead.
How much is teeth whitening treatment?
The cost of teeth whitening in Lansdale, PA, can depend on the type of treatment and how often you get treatment. In-office laser whitening can cost more than take-home whitening. This treatment costs more because it uses advanced dental tools. In-office treatment can also provide quicker results, but we may recommend take-home whitening if you want more convenient treatment.
Brighten Your Smile Today
Do you want a younger-looking, whiter smile? Schedule a dental appointment on our website. You can also call Brookwood Dental at 267-651-7247 today for teeth whitening treatment in Lansdale, PA.
If you have questions about your options, let us know at your next visit. We’ll be glad to help.