Teeth Whitening Rockford

• Smoking 
• Antibiotic use as a child/adolescent
• Exposure to high fluoride levels
• Consuming tannin-containing foods and beverages like oranges, carrots, red wine, and coffee
• Trauma to the tooth 
• Decomposition
• Nerve or blood vessel damage inside the root canal
• Genetics 
• Aging

Dental whitening is a painless treatment but it can require several visits to the dentist to get the desired results. During your appointment, your dentist will likely photograph your teeth to provide a reference and to track the success of the treatment. Your dentist will check the health of your teeth to ensure that no further care is necessary before the whitening procedure. Next, the dentist and will ask you a series of questions to ascertain the source of the discoloration. Following that, the dentist or dental hygienist will thoroughly clean your teeth and eliminate any residue and bacteria that can interfere with the effectiveness of the treatment. The dentist can now proceed with whitening your teeth.

There are two primary methods of tooth whitening performed by most dentists:

Vital Whitening

The most popular type of teeth whitening is called vital whitening. This procedure is done on teeth that still have functioning nerves and entails bleaching the tooth on the outside only. Typically, the whitening solution is a gel containing a form of hydrogen peroxide that is added directly to the tooth’s surface. Your dentist will then beam a special laser or light onto the teeth, initiating the bleaching process. A vital whitening session could last between 30 and 90 minutes. Then, depending on the degree of the staining and the amount of whiteness desired, between one and three visits to your dentist’s office could be necessary.

Non-Vital Whitening

Non-vital whitening is often used for teeth that are discolored from the inside out, often as a result of nerve injury. Your dentist will insert the whitening agent inside the tooth and cover it with a temporary lining during non-vital whitening. Again, several therapies may be necessary to obtain the desired level of whitening.

There are hundreds of brands on the market that claim to be able to whiten your teeth without the need for a dental appointment. However, over-the-counter products simply don’t have the same level of whitening as professional-grade treatments provided by your dentist. The results are usually inferior and fade quickly. For better, more long-lasting results having your teeth whitened by a dentist is recommended.

Teeth whitening is an effective treatment with a low risk of adverse side effects. However, you may experience some sensitivity in your gums and teeth for a brief period after the treatment. Although this is a relatively safe procedure, there is little information about the impact of teeth whitening on newborn infants. As a result, pregnant women should delay teeth whitening until after birth.

Teeth whitening is not a one-time procedure; however, the rate at which the whiteness fades varies according to a variety of variables, including whether or not you smoke and the food and drinks you consume. If you maintain these patterns consistently, you will see the results fade as soon as six weeks after the whitening. However, if you prevent stain-causing foods, reduce or eliminate smoking and practice proper oral hygiene, you do not need teeth whitening for six to twelve months after your treatment.