Dental bonding and porcelain veneers can be used to hide several cosmetic flaws. Note that they are already there; you are just masking them. Still, if you want to achieve a brighter and cleaner smile, you can opt for a tooth whitening treatment in Richmond, TX.
Many long-lasting benefits come with a tooth whitening procedure, along with several drawbacks, of course. Contrary to popular belief, professional tooth whitening at Charm Dental does not produce any notable side effects. They do not pose any severe risks to the patient’s health. The guidelines below will help to determine if you are the right candidate for a tooth whitening procedure.
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What Problems Does Teeth Whitening Fix?
Tooth whitening procedures can be used to remove or minimize tooth discoloration giving an overall brighter smile. The whitening gel removes stains or reduces the intensity of their appearance as long as they appear on the enamel part of the tooth.
This calls for patients to be aware of the type of discoloration they have before the treatment to be well prepared for the expected results. The two types of stains patients need to understand include intrinsic and extrinsic stains. What do they mean?
- Extrinsic Stains: It’s a type of discolouration where the stains are located on the teeth’ outer surface. It’s the most common type of discolouration, and the stains are quickly removed using a professional whitening procedure. Food, drinks, and tobacco use largely cause extrinsic stains. They appear as a vast darkening or tooth yellowing, mostly near the gum line.
- Intrinsic Stains: These are deep stains in the layer below the tooth enamel, in the dentine area. Due to the intrinsic stains’ location, patients cannot benefit from regular teeth whitening and therefore might need a tooth restoration option like porcelain veneers.
The intensity of the stain depends on the cause. How deep or large it is will be traced to a single event. Common reasons for intrinsic discolouration include fluoride overexposure, certain medicines, an injury, or disease. However, there are other causes.
How do You Know If Tooth Whitening is for You?
People whose stains are on the tooth surface, i.e., the enamel, are the most likely to benefit from a tooth whitening treatment. You can only know what type of stain you are dealing with by consulting a dentist near you through an examination. A dental consultation is where you know what results you can expect and how the procedure is.
Because tooth whitening only involves applying the bleaching agent on the enamel, the treatment usually has very few risks on other dental structures. If there are any side effects, expect them to fade within a few days after the treatment, as long as you don’t undergo multiple continuous treatments.
The most suitable candidates for tooth whitening are those with healthy teeth and sizeable tooth enamel. Patients with an eroded enamel might experience more discomfort during the procedure compared to those with healthy enamels.
Also, keep in mind that consistent use of tooth whitening gel on a worn-out enamel further weakens the tooth enamel, exposing the dentin layer, which is darker and more sensitive.
You should speak with your dentist to determine if your smile can benefit from a complete tooth whitening in Richmond.
How to Minimize the Risks
A tooth whitening procedure near you might have few known fatal risks, but still, patients need to understand when the treatment is the best option they can take. The following situations can leave the patients unsatisfied after the process.
- With Restorations: Tooth whitening will not affect dental restorations like crowns, fillings, and porcelain veneers. If your teeth undergo a significant color change while you still have your restorations, you may end up with an unevenly colored smile.
- Consequent whitening sessions: With every tooth whitening in Richmond, TX, patients might notice slight wear down of their teeth enamel. Make dental consultations on how best to undergo the whitening treatment to avoid these complications.
Sensitive teeth: If you already have sensitive teeth, the discomfort might increase following a whitening treatment. You can ask your dentist how to reduce tooth sensitivity through various whitening treatments.
