Tooth Whitening in Claremont, CA Are you one of those people who are concerned about their stained teeth, and want them to be pearly white, just like the sparkling teeth of a baby? Then visiting your dentist for a tooth whitening procedure might be the answer to your problems. In this procedure, the dentist uses various safe, and fast acting bleaching agents to remove the stains that have developed on your teeth.
What is Tooth Whitening? It is a cosmetic dental procedure, in which the dentist exposes your teeth to a bleaching agent, usually carbamide peroxide, which is able to detach the adherent tooth stains, and bring the back the natural white color of your teeth.
How Is It Done?
Tooth Cleaning - Before moving onto the bleaching process, the dentist or the dental hygienist will first clean your teeth using an ultrasonic scaler. This is done to remove the thick layer of food and bacterial debris, known as the dental plaque, which has been deposited on the surface of the teeth. Removal of the dental plaque ensures that all the surfaces of the teeth are completely exposed to the bleaching agent, and the whitening effect is observed uniformly on all the teeth. Fabrication of Custom Trays – Next, the dentist will make an impression of your teeth and gums. This impression will be sent to the laboratory, where trays will be made in acrylic (plastic) for the upper and lower teeth, such that it they easily fit into the mouth. Whitening Procedure – firstly, a layer of protective agent, such as petroleum jelly is applied to the gums, in order to prevent accidental bleaching of the gums. Next, the bleaching agent is poured into the trays, which are seated into the patient’s mouth, usually for about 60-90 minutes, after which the trays are removed. Tooth Polishing – Now that your teeth have been whitened, would you also not want them to be smooth and shiny? Of course! Therefore, in the final step, the dentist polishes your teeth using various sizes of polishing cups. After they have been polished, not only are they whiter, but also shinier.
Types of Tooth Whitening Procedures Dentists perform two types of whitening procedures on the teeth, the vital, and the non-vital whitening procedures:
Vital Tooth Whitening – As the name suggests, this procedure is performed on the vital, or live teeth. The aim is to remove the stains that have developed on the external surface of the teeth through the application of a suitable bleaching agent. It is more commonly performed, compared with the non-vital procedure. Non-Vital Tooth Whitening – In certain cases, the teeth become stained from the inside, after they have undergone a root canal treatment, and have become non-vital or dead. In this case, the dentist places the bleaching agent inside the root canal, so as to remove the stains.
What to Expect After the Procedure?