A smile creates an immediate visual impact on people. Those with brighter smiles give the impression of vitality, youth and warmth. A smile that is bright and white is perceived as a healthy smile, and people often look to dentists when they want their teeth clean and white. Our team at Levan Dental Group can help you get those pearly whites that can enhance your smile.
What Is Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic dental procedure in which stains and discolorations on teeth are removed. Most dentists perform this procedure and it is one with which our team at Levan Dental Group has a great deal of experience and expertise.
Typically, the procedure is not done just once but has to be repeated from time to time to maintain the brightness and white color of the teeth.
How Teeth Get Stained
The enamel is the outer layer of the tooth which covers the dentin underneath it. Tooth color comes from the reflection and scattering of light off the enamel, combined with the color of the dentin. The thickness and smoothness of the enamel is affected by one’s genes. Enamel that is thinner allows more of the color of the dentin to show through and the smoothness or roughness of the enamel affects the reflection of light and therefore the color.
The enamel picks up stains on a daily basis. These stains can come from drinking liquids that are dark-colored such coffee and tea, as well as having poor dental hygiene. As people age, the dentin becomes darker and the enamel gets thinner, so the teeth become less bright.
The Teeth Whitening Procedure
A gel containing some form of hydrogen peroxide that is applied directly to the surface of a tooth is the most common form of teeth whitening.
Dentists who perform the whitening of teeth in their offices often use a powerful whitening gel combined with a laser to activate the gel and allow the bleaching process to take place more quickly.
Whitening done in the dentist’s office usually requires one to three appointments that last between 30 and 90 minutes each. The number of required appointments depends on how severe the stains are, the method used and the desired results.
If you feel your teeth and smile would benefit from whitening, contact our office at Levan Dental Group, and let us discuss this treatment option.