Do you have stubborn tooth stains? Professional teeth whitening can improve your smile. If you’re looking for an effective way to boost the appearance of your smile, consider professional teeth whitening. Dr. Heather Adams provides professional teeth whitening to her patients in Rogers, AR.
Professional teeth whitening is a cosmetic dentistry treatment that can improve your smile in one hour. Dr. Adams offers her patients in-office treatments and take-home kits for brighter and whiter smiles.
What Causes Tooth Stains?
Sometimes, you may not know why you have tooth stains. We take multiple factors into account when determining which whitening treatment is right for you:
- Age: It’s natural to notice tooth discoloration from natural wear over time. Tooth stains are also a side effect of some medications you take. When treating tooth staining, we’ll consider problems like tooth wear and your current medications.
- Tobacco: The nicotine and tar in tobacco can turn teeth yellow. Smoking, vaping, and using other tobacco products easily stain teeth.
- Foods and Drinks: Tea, coffee, wine, berries, tomato-based sauces, and other dark-pigmented foods and drinks can stain teeth. Stains from foods and beverages can build on teeth over time.
- Poor Dental Hygiene: When you don’t brush and floss well, stains can stick to the hard outer surface of your teeth. Harmful bacteria can also build up and form plaque, which makes your teeth look yellow or dirty. If you don’t remove it, the plaque gets harder and tougher to clean off. Once it hardens, only a dentist or hygienist can completely remove it during your cleaning visit.
Sometimes, brushing and flossing aren’t enough to remove tooth stains. Once you’re in good oral health, you will be a candidate for teeth whitening treatment. We’ll consider your age, tooth sensitivity, and other dental problems. Then, we can find the best whitening treatment to meet your needs.
Teeth Whitening Treatment in Rogers, AR
Professional teeth whitening provides optimal results when compared to over-the-counter options. We use professional whitening gels to reduce sensitivity and deliver faster, more stable results. High-grade whitening gels are carefully and evenly administered to the surface of the teeth. When we apply whitening gel, we avoid contact with the gum tissue.
When you visit a store, you will likely see several products promising brighter smiles, from strips to toothpaste. While these products provide some brightening, they can’t offer the same level of results from professional cosmetic treatment.
Do you need teeth whitening? Then, talk to our office about our options for removing teeth stains.
Treating Tough Tooth Stains
Sometimes, tooth whitening cannot remove tooth stains. This is because of two types of tooth stains: intrinsic and extrinsic.
Intrinsic stains lie within the tooth. Tooth injuries and infections can create these stains. Extrinsic discoloration lies on the tooth surface. Stains from foods and drinks are extrinsic and easily removable.
Dental bonding and porcelain veneers are great options to cover intrinsic tooth stains. Tooth bonding uses tooth-colored materials to brighten tooth appearance. Bonding can also add structure to damaged teeth.
Veneers cover the front of teeth in the smile line with shells of tooth-colored porcelain. If you have damaged or discolored teeth, a crown can fully cover and protect them. We’ll also recommend these treatments if you have sensitive teeth.
Do You Need In-Office Or At-Home Teeth Whitening?
Our dental office provides in-office and take-home teeth whitening treatment. These treatments essentially bleach teeth to create whiter teeth. Our teeth whitening options include:
In-Office Teeth Whitening
An in-office teeth whitening treatment whitens teeth up to eight shades in just one visit to our Rogers, AR, dentist’s office. To begin this treatment, Dr. Adams cleans your teeth and covers the gums to reduce gum irritation.
Then, Dr. Adams applies a whitening gel to the teeth. She activates the gel’s ingredients using a special blue light. Whitening agents like hydrogen peroxide will penetrate the tooth enamel to lift stains.
After several minutes, Dr. Adams removes the gel. She repeats the process two more times. Because of the quick results, in-office whitening is great for weddings, birthdays, reunions, and other events.
Take-Home Whitening Kit
Take-home teeth whitening can offer a more natural and gradual smile enhancement. Dr. Adams will take dental impressions of your teeth to create custom whitening trays. Once the trays are complete, you will return to our office to receive the trays and whitening gel.
We’ll provide instructions on using your trays for the best whitening results. At home, use the trays to administer the whitening gel to the teeth once daily. You will wear the trays nightly to produce beautiful results. While you enjoy whitening your teeth from the comfort of your home, you can see whiter teeth in just a few uses.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Learn more about professional teeth whitening with answers to these common patient questions:
Why do teeth stain?
Our teeth can gather stains in multiple ways. Consuming drinks with dark pigments (coffee, soda, tea), smoking, and age can lead to stains. Injury to the tooth, fluorosis, and using medications like tetracycline stains teeth.
How does the in-office whitening work?
The office-based option involves placing a powerful bleaching gel onto the surface of the teeth. Then, we activate the whitening gel with a curing light to lift surface stains in about an hour. We repeat this process to gradually bleach the teeth.
Can you brighten your teeth from home?
Yes. Instead of relying on strips or toothpaste, your dentist can provide a custom-made set of trays and bleaching gel. You’ll fill the trays with gel each day and wear them for the time the doctor recommends. Total treatment takes a week to 10 days, based on the severity of your teeth stains.
How often can I whiten my teeth?
We recommend that you visit us for touch-up whitening treatment every 6 months. Over-whitening can damage your enamel and cause sensitivity. Consult with our dentist before you start any whitening treatments to ensure it’s safe for your teeth.
What other options are available?
We can also use cosmetic treatments and restorations to mask stains. These treatments benefit patients who don’t respond to traditional teeth whitening. We may suggest dental bonding, porcelain veneers, or ceramic crowns.
Tooth bonding treatment uses tooth-colored materials to cover single damaged or stained teeth. This inexpensive cosmetic treatment is best for patients who want to treat minor imperfections.
Veneers are shell-like treatments that cover the front of the tooth. We recommend veneers if you have deep tooth stains. Dental veneers can cover one or all teeth in your smile zone. Crowns can also reshape teeth and mask other cosmetic concerns. Contact our office today if you have questions about our teeth whitening approach.
Is teeth whitening safe for my teeth and gums?
When done correctly, teeth whitening is generally safe for most people. But some may experience temporary tooth sensitivity or gum irritation.
We’ll apply a special protective barrier to cover your gums before treatment. Our professional take-home kits also use a lower-strength whitening gel than what we use in the office.
Will teeth whitening work on crowns or fillings?
No, teeth whitening may not work on crowns or fillings because they are made of materials that do not change color like natural teeth. This means that even if your teeth become whiter, the crowns or fillings will stay the same color. We can also replace discolored crowns or fillings and color-match them to your natural tooth shade.
How old do you have to be to get teeth whitening?
We recommend whitening for patients 14 and older. Whitening is best for adult teeth, because baby teeth have thinner enamel. Baby teeth are more sensitive to the active ingredients in whitening gel. Thicker enamel helps protect against tooth sensitivity.
Brighten Your Smile in Rogers, AR
Have you tried store-bought teeth whitening treatment without results? Get professional teeth whitening treatment in our Rogers, AR, dental office. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Adams online. You can also call Heather Adams Dentistry at (479) 323-3011.
If you’re concerned about tooth sensitivity or are unsure if whitening is for you, please let us know. Our office also welcomes you to ask us questions at your next visit. We’ll help you find the best cosmetic treatment to brighten your teeth.