A smile is one of the simplest gestures that we can make, but it can also be one of the biggest. A bright smile is considered a reflection of friendliness, honesty, happiness, and health.

An attractive smile can be beneficial in social situations, help attract a partner, and make you more confident and outgoing. The enamel covering the teeth can become stained over time for several reasons. The fix for this is teeth whitening, which is considered to be one of the easiest and most economical ways of enhancing the appeal of your smile.

Reasons For Tooth Discoloration

White teeth are universally considered to be more youthful since infant/first teeth are almost always whiter than their adult counterparts.

Teeth discolorations can be caused by:

• Smoking – one of the biggest contributors to yellowed teeth!
• The use of antibiotics as a child/teenager
• Exposure to high levels of fluoride
• Food or drinks that contain tannins such as oranges, carrots, red wine, and coffee
• Trauma to the tooth
• Decay
• Damage to nerve or blood vessels inside the root canal
• Genetics – the thickness of the enamel covering your teeth is usually determined by genetics. Thinner enamel can often show the color of the dentin beneath it, giving the tooth a darker appearance.
• Aging – our teeth naturally darken as we get older

There are several products on the market that claim to be able to improve the whiteness of your smile without you needing to visit the dentist. However, over the counter products are simply not able to provide the same strength of whitening as professional-grade treatments that we are able to offer. Not only are the results usually only mediocre, but they also fade quicker and usually require more treatments.

The In-Office Whitening Procedure

Dental whitening is a painless, safe, quick, and inexpensive procedure, but one that may require several visits to our office in order to achieve the final color results you desire. It all depends on the extent of your staining as well as the level of whiteness you wish to achieve.

During your consultation visit, we will likely photograph your teeth to provide a starting point for comparison so that you can effectively monitor the progress of your treatment. Dr. Puerto will then perform a thorough examination to ensure that no other treatment is required ahead of the whitening process as well as ask you several questions to get to the cause of the discoloration. Using the latest in whitening technology, we can offer a safe method for creating a beautiful “brilliant” smile. You can expect a session of whitening to take between 30 and 90 minutes.

A custom made tray with a gel whitening agent provided by Dr. Puerto, could also be worn for about 3-4 hours for a week or two for up to four weeks and even longer (Depending on discoloration and desired level of whitening). When your teeth reach the desired brightness, only occasional treatment is needed to maintain your new smile. For severely stained teeth, crowns or porcelain veneers may be more appropriate.