Teeth Whitening or Dental Bleaching

Teeth whitening or dental bleaching is a method designed to restore the whiteness of the teeth by either removing the stains on the teeth’s surface or covering the stains with a restorative material. This is a popular cosmetic dentistry procedure that benefits patients who want to improve the color of their teeth.

Teeth naturally lose their white color as a person ages. Due to increased chewing and grinding, sometimes caused by bruxism and clenching, the tooth enamel accumulates millions of micro-cracks on its surface. The color pigments in food and beverages stick to these cracks and produce stains. Aside from these cracks, the teeth’s enamel becomes porous as the teeth mature. Certain medications such as those using tetracycline drugs can also cause the teeth to darken.

Restoring the teeth’s whiteness is possible because of the developing technology in cosmetic dentistry. Many people in urbanized cities like Atlanta resort to cosmetic dentistry methods for teeth whitening. Teeth whitening, as one of the most common cosmetic dentistry procedures, can be made easier through the use of dental lasers and over-the-counter bleaching substances. The patient can choose between receiving treatment from a dentist at a dental clinic or doing the treatment on their own at home

At-home teeth whitening is less expensive than in-office whitening procedures. This is why many patients choose to whiten their own teeth. However, many dentists practicing cosmetic dentistry in Atlanta say that at-home bleaching can be tricky. The whitening agent is required to sit on the patient’s teeth overnight, which may be dangerous in cases when the agent is accidentally ingested.

Having a dentist practicing cosmetic dentistry in Atlanta perform the procedure is generally considered safer and more effective. In an in-office whitening procedure, the teeth can regain its original whiteness in less than an hour. The dentist usually applies hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to oxidize the teeth’s surface. These agents are capable of removing stains even from the deep surfaces of the teeth.

In severe cases where teeth whitening using oxidizing agents is no longer effective, the dentists practicing cosmetic dentistry in Atlanta use restorative materials such as veneers to cover the surface of the affected teeth. Once the veneer is installed, the teeth’s color is greatly improved.