Cosmetic Dentistry: Teeth Whitening

Cosmetic Dentistry: Teeth Whitening

Millions of people have tried at-home teeth whitening treatments, only to be disappointed in their results. The fact is that whitening trays, gels, toothpastes, and kits are no match for an in-office teeth whitening treatment. When it comes to cosmetic dentistry teeth whitening has always been a very popular treatment due to its proven ability to produce results.

Causes of Stained Teeth

If you have discolored teeth, it can be due to a number of reasons like:

• Regular consumption of beverages like coffee, tea or red wine
• Smoking tobacco products
• Taking certain medications like some antibiotics, antipsychotics and antidepressants
• Tooth trauma, which may lay down a darker colored dentin layer to your teeth

Advantages of In-Office Teeth Whitening:

• Professional supervision
• Less tooth and gum sensitivity
• Ability to whiten the teeth to a greater degree

At-Home Teeth Whitening Just Doesn’t Cut It

One of the main problems with at-home teeth whitening treatments is the weakness of the whitening gel. Your dentist is able to use a higher strength whitening gel to help you obtain superior results. 

Another drawback of at-home teeth whitening is that, even if you do notice some results, you tend to experience increased tooth and gum sensitivity. And this sensitivity can last for hours. Even days. Your dentist is able to isolate your teeth while they are being treated to keep the whitening gel away from sensitive gum tissue.

There are several different ways to have your teeth whitened professionally by your dentist. One way is having a mold created of your teeth to create a custom tray. Next, a bleaching gel will go into this tray and remain on your teeth for a specific amount of time.

Chair-side bleaching is another professional teeth whitening method in which your dentist applies a bleaching substance onto your teeth. This typically takes only one dental appointment.

Lasers can also be used to brighten your smile. First, a bleaching substance is applied onto your teeth, followed by the application of a strong laser that activates the whitening ability of the bleaching agent. This should take about one hour.

After Your Teeth Whitening Treatment

Now that you have had your teeth whitened professionally, you will want to maintain your results for as long as possible. Here are a few tips:

• Avoid dark-colored beverages like coffee, tea and red wine. Do not smoke.
• Watch out for acidic beverages, particularly dark sodas that combine acids and sugars.
• Avoid foods with added colors that may stain your teeth.
• The rule of thumb is that anything with the ability to stain a white shirt can stain your teeth.

Schedule Your Teeth Whitening Treatment

Are you ready to brighten your smile with a professional in-office teeth whitening treatment? Call our cosmetic dentists at Lexington Smile Studio today to schedule a teeth whitening treatment and enjoy a dramatic boost to your self-esteem and self-confidence by displaying a healthy, bright smile.

What Exactly Is Preventive Dental Care?

Dentists in Lexington MA

Dentists play a vital role in protecting the oral health of their patients. But the patients themselves must also maintain their efforts at home to ensure that their teeth are free of tooth decay and their gums are not affected by gum disease.

Preventive dental care is focused upon doing the right things in the right way on a regular basis. This means regularly brushing and flossing at home and keeping up with your routine dental appointments, such as dental exams and cleanings.

Preventive dental care helps:

• Prevent tooth decay
• Prevent gum disease
• Spot early signs of problems like oral cancer
• Prevent costly dental work

Preventing Tooth Decay

Tooth decay has become extremely common over the last few decades, with an increase in sugary snacks and beverages that are advertised on virtually every TV program, as well as magazines, radio and the Internet. For this reason, visiting your dentist regularly is important.

Tooth decay begins with the presence of oral bacteria. Bacteria can hang around in the mouth and form a sticky substance called plaque. Plaque can be removed by brushing and flossing, but it can gain a foothold if you miss a spot, or it finds a hiding place. Plaque creates an acidic environment within your mouth that eats away at tooth enamel, leading to cavities and tooth decay.

The best way to avoid tooth decay is to brush at least twice a day and floss daily. Ideally, you want to brush following every meal and snack. If you find yourself away from home, try to remember to rinse your mouth with water to at least remove much of the food debris in your mouth that would otherwise feed oral bacteria.

Dental Exams and Cleanings

As mentioned earlier, it is still possible to develop plaque in spite of your best efforts at home. Plaque can find places that you cannot reach, or you may miss a spot. The best way to rid your mouth of plaque is to keep up with your regular dental exams and cleanings, as well as following any specific recommendations made by your dentist.

A dental exam gives your dental team an opportunity to have a visual inspection of your mouth to look for signs of problems and prevent them before they gain momentum. The cleaning part of the appointment is when your dental hygienist removes plaque and tartar from your teeth. Tartar is a hardened form of plaque that can only be removed with specialized dental instruments.

What are some other ways to prevent tooth decay and gum disease?

Limit your consumption of sugary foods and beverages like cakes, cookies and sodas. If you should have an occasional indulgence, that’s perfectly fine. Just make sure to brush or rinse your mouth out with water after indulging in a sugary snack.

Another way to prevent costly dental care is to stop smoking if you are currently a smoker, as smoking tobacco is a known risk factor for developing gum disease, not to mention the fact that it can stain your teeth.

Schedule Your Appointment

Has it been a long time since you have had a dental exam or had your teeth cleaned? Although some patients feel that these routine visits are not that important, we hope that we have demonstrated that they are vitally important. Our dentists in Lexington recommend that you get back on track with any missed appointments by scheduling a dental exam and cleaning today.

Contact Lexington Smile Studio today!

Best Veneer Dentist: What Are Porcelain Dental Veneers?

Best Veneer Dentist

If you are looking for the best veneer dentist, you will most certainly want one who offers porcelain dental veneers. Although you have some choices in this regard, patients prefer porcelain for a variety of reasons.

Ultimately, the best way to determine the type that works best for you is to consult with your best veneer dentist in a consultation.

What are dental veneers?

Dental veneers are a type of thin material that can be attached to the front, visible portion of the teeth to correct cosmetic issues. There are two basic types: composite and porcelain.

Dental veneers correct minor aesthetic complaints like:

• Chips and cracks
• Gapping
• Tooth staining and discoloration

What are composite dental veneers?

Your best veneer dentist may recommend composite veneers. Composite is a material that is applied directly onto the teeth by a dentist in an office setting. Composite veneers have the advantage of being less expensive than porcelain, although they are not as durable and can become stained.

What are porcelain dental veneers?

Most people prefer porcelain after learning the benefits from their best veneer dentist. One reason is that porcelain is a more durable material. So you can expect your porcelain veneers to last for longer than the composite type.

The other main advantage comes down to aesthetics. Porcelain simply looks better to most people. It more closely matches the color of natural teeth, including the property of translucence.

Porcelain is stain resistant. It will not require repairs or touchups as frequently as composite.

What can I expect when getting porcelain veneers?

Your treatment may vary as outlined by your best veneer dentist. Receiving your new porcelain veneers typically takes two separate visits. In your first visit, a small amount of tooth enamel will be trimmed away to make room for the veneers. 

An impression will be made of your teeth for delivery to a dental lab that creates your new porcelain veneers based upon the shape and shade information. You may receive temporary veneers while waiting for your permanent ones.

When your permanent veneers are ready, your dentist will remove any temporary ones and bond your new porcelain veneers to your teeth. A special light will “cure” the veneers to ensure firm attachment.

What happens after I receive my new porcelain veneers?

Your best veneer dentist will offer specific care instructions. In general, maintain proper, routine oral care at home. You should be brushing your teeth twice daily for two minutes. Take special care in places where your new veneers meet gum tissue. This is because bacteria can become trapped there, potentially leading to the formation of plaque and cavities.

You also need to be flossing your teeth at least once a day. Keep up with your regular dental exams and cleanings.

Schedule Your Consultation

To receive porcelain dental veneers from the best veneer dentist, you will need to schedule a consultation. Contact Lexington Smile Studio to learn more. We offer veneers, implants, bridges, dentures, teeth whitening, and more. New patients are always welcome!