Professional teeth whitening not only brightens your smile, it brightens your confidence! Dr. Helen Ragsdale offers both in-office and at-home professional solutions that help you achieve the whiter, healthier looking smile you desire. All of our practice’s treatments are approved by the American Dental Association to be safe on enamel, so you can whiten with peace of mind. While teeth whitening may not be the best cosmetic treatment for everyone, if you have healthy teeth and gums, you may be a good candidate for professional whitening. Read on to learn more about candidacy for this popular cosmetic service!
To schedule your cosmetic consultation to discover if professional whitening is right for you, call us at 512-346-4690.
The Science Behind Whitening
Professional teeth whitening refers to dental procedures that remove stains from the surface of teeth for brighter-looking enamel. It’s important to note that teeth stains fall into one of two categories:
- Extrinsic Stains: also known as surface stains, these stains reside in the outermost layers of a tooth’s enamel. Patients acquire these stains from richly-colored foods and drinks. They can usually be quickly removed through whitening treatments because they don’t get past the first few layers of enamel.
- Intrinsic Stains: These deep, internal stains are actually deep inside the inner tooth’s structure. Patients acquire intrinsic stains from injury or trauma to the tooth, side effects from certain drugs, or normal aging. Extrinsic stains respond well to teeth whitening, but intrinsic stains do not. For patients with deep, intrinsic stains, porcelain veneers are our recommended treatment for achieving a whiter, more uniform smile.
Dr. Ragsdale uses a bleaching technique for both in-office and take-home whitening procedures. Bleaching agents (powered by carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide solutions) remove extrinsic stains through chemical reactions. Stains are oxidized and lifted out of the porous enamel surface quickly, with results lasting for a year or more.
Determining Candidacy
When deciding if a patient is eligible for teeth whitening, Dr. Ragsdale first looks at the type of tooth stains a patient has. If they are extrinsic stains, Dr. Ragsdale then considers the following factors before recommending a specific whitening treatment:
- Pregnancy: Women should hold off on receiving cosmetic dentistry treatments until after they are no longer pregnant or breastfeeding, as a precautionary measure.
- Restorative Treatments: Existing dental restorations that are visible in the smile will not whiten like natural enamel. Patients with dental crowns, veneers, and composite fillings can experience uneven whitening effects. For this reason, we usually recommend these patients opt for porcelain veneers or dental bonding to enhance their smile.
- Oral Health: A patient must be in good overall health before receiving cosmetic treatments. Worn enamel, cavities, or periodontal disease (gum disease) should be treated and eliminated before whitening.
- Sensitivity: Patients with a history of sensitive teeth may experience sensitivity or discomfort from whitening treatments. Dr. Ragsdale may recommend a fluoride treatment before whitening begins, to provide an extra layer of protection for sensitive teeth.
- Age: Teeth whitening is best for patients who are over the age of 16. This is because younger teens may still have developing teeth which are more prone to sensitivity from whitening agents.
Contact our Austin practice for information on teeth whitening!
If you want to enhance your smile through teeth whitening, schedule a consultation with Austin’s Laser Dentist, Dr. Helen Ragsdale. Our practice is proud to offer the newest cosmetic dentistry techniques and treatments that offer less invasive, yet dramatic results. Contact our practice today to schedule your consultation.
