
Mar
No matter how smooth your skin, or what shade of lipstick you wear, dingy teeth add years to your look. White teeth radiate good health and youthfulness. Even with excellent oral hygiene, teeth can discolor over time. Fortunately, professional teeth bleaching brings back and even improves upon natural luster. Philadelphia dentist, Dr. A, shares this information to consider as you embark on the journey to a brighter smile.
Healthy teeth look and feel smooth, but enamel is actually porous, covered with microscopic openings, like pores in the skin. These tubules in tooth enamel absorb and hold pigments from anything dark colored that goes into the mouth – tea, coffee, red wine, berries, and tobacco.
Aggressive scrubbing may remove some surface stains, but it cannot reach into these tiny channels. Plus, abrasive brushing leaves scratches in tooth enamel that grab even more stains!
With professional bleaching, a prescription peroxide formula is applied to the teeth. In chemistry terms, peroxide is an “unstable element” made of two hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms per molecule. When exposed to air, it begins to oxidize or break down into the basic elements of water and oxygen. That process creates fizzing – oxygen bubbles rising to the surface.
During teeth bleaching treatment, the whitening agent flows into tubules, loosening pigments and pushing them out during oxidation.
Over the counter, product uses the same basic ingredient as professional whitening – but in a much weaker strength. In an effort to achieve good results, some people are tempted to overuse retail whiteners, triggering sensitivity and risking harm to teeth and soft tissues.
Dr. A offers two whitening methods – at-home and in-office. In addition to a more effective chemical, professional results are largely a product of the delivery system – how the whitening agent is applied.
The doctor takes impressions of your mouth to create application trays with a true custom fit. With in-office treatment, a trained dental professional precisely applies whitening gel to tooth surfaces. These techniques ensure that each surface of every tooth (even teeth that are not straight) receives even coverage. One-size-fits-all strips, trays, and lights cannot provide this beautifully consistent color. You might compare it to attempting a tanned look from a spray can at home, compared to the even coverage of a professional airbrush tan.
Dr. A believes everyone deserves the confidence of a bright smile. His whitening for life program rewards good oral habits with complimentary bleach at regular checkups. Call (267) 463-2777 or use convenient online scheduling for teeth bleaching appointment at our Philadelphia office.
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