Teeth Whitening
Nampa, ID
Teeth Whitening provided by Dr. Christensen and Dr. Sipes in Nampa, ID at Middle Creek Dental
At Middle Creek Dental, we understand how important it is to you to have a great looking smile that makes it easy to make amazing first impressions.
The Best way to Improve Your Aesthetic
When it comes to your overall look, your smile is undoubtedly the most important part.
Think of all the times that you have seen someone with a great smile and wished for a more dazzling smile for yourself.
Teeth whitening allows you to quickly, easily, and cost-effectively give you teeth the makeover that they deserve.
Reasons for Teeth Whitening
Over time teeth tend to become stained and faded in color and appearance. Enamel makes up the hard outer layer of your teeth and is what makes your teeth appear white. Over time the enamel on your teeth will wear down and become stained, this is where teeth whitening comes in.
Whitening can breathe new life into your smile by bleaching impurities out of the enamel of your teeth. The most common reasons for teeth whitening are:
| • | Dull or yellowing teeth |
| • | Normal wear to enamel |
| • | Teeth staining due to medications like tetracycline |
| • | Yellowing or browning due to tobacco use |
| • | Fluorosis (white spots due to excessive fluoride exposure) |
What Does At-Home Teeth Whitening Involve?
At Middle Creek Dental, we offer at-home whitening solutions to give you the ultimate level of control over your teeth. This system requires that you visit our office twice.
During the first visit we will take an impression of your mouth so that we can build custom teeth whitening trays for you. These trays are made of clear plastic and are intended to hold the teeth whitening solution.
At your second appointment, we will make sure that the trays fit your teeth and we will make adjustments to them as needed. We will send you home with special instructions that will detail the finer points of your whitening process.
You can either wear the trays twice a day or once every night. We will determine how long you will have to wear the trays based on how deeply stained your teeth are and how many shades you would like to whiten them by.
Does Teeth Whitening Work?
The short answer to the question does teeth whitening works is yes. The effectiveness of teeth whitening, however, will depend on the method. Teeth whitening at a professional dentist’s office will have the best results.
You should ensure that only a dental professional performs the teeth whitening. It may require several visits to the dentist’s office for the complete results of the teeth whitening to be apparent.
You can use home teeth whitening kits, but they are not as strong and do not provide the same results.
Teeth whitening will depend on the procedure you use. On your first visit to the dentist for teeth whitening, they will make a model of your teeth.
The model is meant to create a mouthguard or tray that the dentist will use to place the gel. The more accurate the model, the better the teeth whitening results. The bleaching agent erodes part of the enamel to leave the brighter parts while removing the discolored part.
Laser or power teeth whitening is another teeth whitening procedure. It involves coating teeth with a bleaching agent and then shining lasers on them to activate the whitening process. An hour-long procedure will result in brighter teeth.
How Long Does Professional Teeth Whitening Last?
The length of professional teeth whitening results will depend on several factors. One of them is the method of teeth whitening. Bleaching agents applied at a dentist’s office will last for at least one year.
With good oral hygiene, the results could last as long as three years. Laser teeth whitening can improve the results of using bleaching agents, making the results last longer.
Another factor affecting how long professional teeth whitening lasts is the bleaching agent. Bleaching agents have different strengths, so the stronger agent has longer-lasting results and vice versa.
However, strong bleaching agents might have significant side effects.
Does Teeth Whitening Damage Your Teeth?
There are side effects to teeth whitening. The main one is that it can lead to gum irritation and burning as the bleaching agents are meant for teeth and not gums.
There are cases where teeth whitening leads to enamel erosion, affecting tooth strength and integrity. However, it is only seen when strong bleaching agents or powerful lasers are used.
How Long After Teeth Whitening Can I Eat Normally?
You can start eating normally a few days after teeth whitening, however, it largely depends on the patient’s rate of recovery. In about 24 to 72 hours following the whitening process, you should be able to start eating normally.
Otherwise, try to steer clear of hard, abrasive foods during the recovery duration as they may etch your enamel, causing bacteria growth and staining.
Other Cosmetic Dental Options At Middle Creek Dental
We offer a wide variety of cosmetic dental options at Middle Creek Dental. If you have issues with teeth that are cracked or chipped, not straight, too large or small, then dental veneers can help you to regain lost confidence.
We also offer dental crowns that can restore teeth that would otherwise be unable to continue functioning as needed. Bridges can help to replace several missing teeth in a row. Cosmetic bonding offers similar benefits to porcelain veneers at a fraction of the price.
Whatever your dental needs, please call us today at (208) 505-9975 to schedule an appointment.