858.578.4677
8270 Mira Mesa Blvd, Suite D
San Diego, CA 92126
TEETH WHITENING
Everybody loves a white smile, and there are a variety of products and procedures designed to help improve your look. There are several approaches to whitening your smile:
Broadway Dental offers all of the above approaches to whitening your smile! Ask our office for details.
Questions to discuss with your dentist
You should start by speaking with your dentist. He can tell you whether whitening procedures would be effective for you. Whiteners may not correct all types of discoloration. You may get great results, some results, or no results. For example, yellow-ish hued teeth will probably bleach well, brownish hued teeth may bleach less well, and grayish-hued teeth may not bleach well at all. Also, if you have had bondings, tooth colored fillings, or crowns placed, bleaching will not affect the color of these restorations. In general, the restorations should be replaced after the whitening process has been completed.
In-office whitening
This type of bleaching is done in the office, called chairside bleaching. Each visit may take from 30 minutes to one hour, and it may require more than one visit to achieve the desired teeth color.
During chairside bleaching, the dentist will apply a protective gel to protect the oral soft tissues. The bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth, and a special light is used to enhance the action of the agent.
At-home whitening
There are several types of products available for use at home, which can either be dispensed by your dentist, or purchased over-the-counter. Over-the-counter products often do not work as well as those dispensed by your dentist. The products contain peroxide, which bleaches the tooth enamel.
Your dentist will make a plaster mold of your mouth. A thin, clear rubberlike tray is made which fits very tight and precisely over the teeth, like an athletic mouth guard. The gel peroxide-containing whiteners are then place in the mouth guard, and worn for a length of time each day or night. This gel coats the teeth and slowly lightens them. Often, you will see results in as little as 2 days to one week.
You may also want to talk to your dentist should any side effects become bothersome. For example, teeth can become sensitive during the period you are using the bleaching solution. In many cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should lessen once treatment is completed. Your dentist may prescribe a fluoride solution to help lessen the sensitivity also.
Toothpastes
All toothpastes help remove surface stain through the action of mild abrasives. ADA approved "Whitening" toothpastes have a special chemical or polishing agent that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaches, these products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.
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CHAO PINHOLE GUM REJUVENATION
This animation compares conventional gum grafting to Chao Pinhole Gum Rejuvenation® the minimally invasive treatment for receding gums invented and patented by dentist and educator Dr. John Chao. Gum recession is corrected in minutes with no scalpels and no stitches.
