Whiten and Brighten for a Sparkling Smile
If your teeth have dulled or yellowed, professional whitening will brighten your pearly whites and allow you to smile confidently. Tooth whitening offers a safe, effective, and convenient way to lighten most people's smiles. A variety of whitening methods, products, and concentrations are available.
Whitening treatments most successfully remove yellow, brown, or orange tinges resulting from age, staining foods and beverages, or smoking. Dark gray or bright white spots from too much fluoride, smoking, or tetracycline use may not lighten as dramatically as other stains; artificial materials like porcelains do not whiten at all. People with sensitive teeth, periodontal disease, or worn enamel typically don't see great results from whitening. Other options, like veneers, can correct these problems.
If you want professional whitening, in-office and supervised at-home kits are the two options. In-office techniques often use a laser or a light-activated gel application, take as little as one to two hours, and usually improve color up to eight shades. Supervised at-home methods are less expensive, but they require a couple of appointments to take molds for the trays and to provide detailed instructions for use. Patients then wear the appliances for daily sessions over one to two weeks. Some dental offices also recommend whitening strips or over-the-counter products to patients who are not prepared to invest in professional systems.
