Posted by Dr. Alicia Abeyta DDS FAGD on Apr 4 2017, 11:13 AM
There are many reasons people want to whiten their smile. Many do it before a major life event, like their wedding or graduation – after all, you want your smile to be the best it can be for all of those photos! Some people do it to give their confidence a boost. Just quit smoking or drinking coffee? Get a teeth whitening treatment and leave those stains behind along with your habit! Some do it as a part of their regular dental visits, so their mouth will look as good as it feels.
Nowadays, there are many at home treatments available to whiten your teeth. However, when I tried a couple of these for myself, I found the results to be less than stellar. The strips were difficult to apply evenly to my teeth. They stuck in some areas, but failed to adhere in others, and tiny bubbles of air became trapped under the surface. The result was a patchwork of white spots on my teeth, with large areas of stained tooth remaining – not what I was going for! What’s more, the white areas made me realize (and made it painfully visible) how discolored the rest of my teeth were. After several treatments the spots began to even out somewhat, but not before I spent a week walking around with a pretty strange looking smile.
When you come in to Dr. Abeyta’s office for teeth whitening, the first step is to take a mold of your teeth. Using this mold, Dr. Abeyta will create a custom-fitted stent, which you can pick up the next day. You’ll also receive the bleaching solution and instructions on how to use them together. The stent will ensure even application of the compound to your teeth. Wear your stent a few hours a day and you’ll start seeing results right away. Once you reach the shade you’re looking for, occasional treatments will be enough to maintain your new, brilliant smile.
In cases of more extreme tooth discoloration, veneers and crowns are also available. However, due to the low cost and high effectiveness of bleaching, it is typically a logical first step.
Call Dr. Abeyta’s office today and get on the road to a brighter, whiter smile!