Both take-home and in-office teeth whitening brighten yellow smiles safely and effectively. Dr. Jasmine Coleman of Summer Creek Dentistry recommends either method to patients with healthy smiles who just want a cosmetic uplift.
Embarrassed by a yellowed smile? It’s a common problem. Fortunately, modern cosmetic dentistry offers many treatment options. Jasmine Coleman DDS, Benbrook area cosmetic dentist, delivers expert aesthetic procedures for individuals whose oral health is otherwise good.
Teeth turn yellow for many reasons
Dr. Coleman sees patients whose teeth are discolored from:
- smoking and chewing tobacco
- darkly-colored beverages such as coffee, black tea, red wine, cola and root beer
- acidic foods such as tomato sauce which soften enamel
- age and thinning of enamel
- heredity
- injuries which create fine cracks in tooth enamel
- root canal therapy
- some prescription drugs such as tetracycline
While brushing with a quality fluoride toothpaste twice a day and flossing daily, combined with hygienic cleanings at Summer Creek Dentistry, are great for oral health and help tooth color, sometimes they are not enough. So, a budget-friendly, effective treatment option is professional teeth whitening with your Fort Worth dentist.
Professional teeth whitening brightens tooth enamel safely
Fort Worth teeth whitening lightens tooth enamel by several shades. The comfortable, pain-free treatment eliminates dullness, yellow color and ugly stains.
Dr. Coleman carefully evaluates her patients to be sure they are good candidates for whitening. People with a lot of decay or gum disease cannot undergo teeth whitening, and pregnant and lactating moms should postpone whitening and other elective procedures, too. Dr. Coleman even uses the treatment in conjunction with other cosmetic services such as bonding and porcelain veneers to achieve a truly outstanding look.
The in-office option takes approximately one hour. The dentist uses a protective dam to keep the hydrogen peroxide gel off sensitive gums and other soft tissues of the mouth. Then, she swabs the bleaching gel on the teeth, usually one quadrant at a time. The gel seeps into tooth enamel down to the dentin or second layer of the tooth structure.
At the end of the treatment, patients see smiles that are up to 8 full shades lighter in color. The change is amazing and lasts indefinitely with occasional home touch-ups and usual professional cleanings.
The at-home option takes about 2 weeks as patients use custom-fitted whitening trays to accurately and safely apply the mint-flavored bleaching gel. They wear their trays daily and then see a huge color improvement similar to the quick, in-office treatment.
Don’t be ashamed of a yellowed smile.
Instead, brighten it with professional teeth whitening at Summer Creek Dentistry. Dr. Coleman is sure you have questions about this cosmetic dental service and other ways to improve your smile aesthetics. So, call her office to set up a personal consultation. Find out more about achieving your perfect smile!