8x
How much brighter
your teeth can be
after one in-office
whitening treatment
Contact us today if you’d like to schedule an appointment to get your teeth whitened. We can guarantee that you’ll leave our office feeling confident and ready to face the rest of the day with a smile!
The Basics of Whitening
First and foremost, let’s cover why teeth get yellow or dull! You may be thinking, “I know, I know, you’re going to tell me to quit drinking coffee…” – but in reality, there are many lesser-known causes of yellowing, too.
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic
It’s actually a normal part of aging, like getting gray hair or crow’s feet. As your teeth repair themselves throughout your life, the inner part (dentin) comes in new. This new dentin is darker. Simultaneously, acids from the foods you eat make your enamel thinner as time goes on. The dentin’s color reflects through the enamel, resulting in a yellower looking tooth. This is called intrinsic yellowing.
There are other reasons for your teeth getting darker over time, as well. These can include:
- Genetics
- Injuries involving your teeth
- Excess amounts of fluoride (fluorosis)
- Amelogenesis Imperfecta (AI), Dentinogenesis Imperfecta and other rare dental disorders
- Silver fillings
- Taking tetracycline before age 10
There are also some common items that can stain the outside of your teeth:
- Tea
- Coffee
- Wine
- Cigarettes
Stains from things like colored beverages are called extrinsic discoloration. If you are worried about staining your teeth, we recommend using a straw when drinking coffee (adding ice also helps), opting for white wine over red, and that you quit smoking (if you do).
Which Kind of Whitening Is Right for Me?
The right whitening treatment depends on several things:
- What type of yellowing you have – intrinsic, extrinsic or both
- Whether or not you have any other dental issues
- Your budget
Your best method of teeth whitening will depend on the type of yellowing you have. Any medical or cosmetic course of action will only be effective if it actually addresses the root of the problem. In the same way that you don’t use a skin-clearing face wash to treat a headache or a painkiller to treat a blemish, you must match your whitening treatment to the type of yellowing you have.
If you think your teeth are simply stained from your daily 2 cups of coffee, you can see how your teeth react to a stain-removing toothpaste – or you can come visit us in Asheville, Hendersonville or Brevard to get your teeth professionally whitened.
If you have intrinsic discoloration, you will need a bleaching gel that is held against the teeth. This gel is actually soaked up by the inner part of the tooth, making the whole thing lighter. Not many people know this, but bleach lightens the inside and is then reflected through the enamel like a prism. Beauty may only be skin deep, but tooth-whiteness is often more than just enamel-deep!
Professional vs. Over-the-Counter Whitening
A lot of people make this choice based on their budget, and this is totally understandable!
Of course, we may be a little biased at BRO (did you know all orthodontists are also officially dentists?!), but we think you should always talk to a professional. There are definitely some so-called tooth-whitening solutions out there that aren’t safe or effective.
Even if you know you can’t afford professional whitening, your primary dentist or one of our expert BRO team members here in Asheville will be able to point you toward the safest over-the-counter products. Not to mention that they can help you figure out an essential part of the equation: whether you have intrinsic or extrinsic staining.
Also don’t forget to check whether your insurance covers whitening. Many plans don’t, but it never hurts to ask!
Whitening Best Practices
Whether you want to look your best for an upcoming wedding, class reunion or major meeting – or you just want a sparkling white and confident smile every day – here’s what you should know about whitening treatment best practices.
Whitening Best Practices with Traditional Braces
This section may as well have been titled “DON’T whiten while you have traditional braces!”
Even though we talked about how intrinsic yellowing is bleached from the inside, this bleach still has to be held against the tooth for 30 to 60 minutes. If you have traditional braces, the bracket and wires will get in the way. Any extrinsic stain removal would also be rendered ineffective by your braces.
If you currently have braces, we recommend waiting till your course of treatment is complete. After your braces come off, whitening your teeth can be the cherry on top of a beautifully straight smile!
Whitening Best Practices with Invisalign®
One of the fantastic things about Invisalign is that you can whiten your teeth by using the Invisalign trays. Granted, you’ll need to obtain the appropriate whitening gel. Over-the-counter options that have an active ingredient ratio of between 10 to 20% are recommended, as stronger doses can cause severe tooth sensitivity. Of course, if you want the best, we offer Philips Zoom whitening gel that can be used with Invisalign.
Once you have acquired the appropriate whitening gel, you’ll need to clean your Invisalign tray completely before applying a few droplets of the gel. Make sure to apply the gel to the front portion of your tray, so it’ll be contacting the front of your teeth.
Since our Invisalign trays are custom-molded for your teeth, this will ensure that the gel is completely spread out to cover everything. Once you’ve inserted the tray, keep it in for 15 minutes and then you can remove for cleaning. You’ll also want to spend at least a minute rinsing out your mouth completely.
This form of tooth whitening can be repeated two times a week until your teeth have reached the desired brightness.
Whitening Best Practices with Retainers
If you have a clear orthodontic retainer, then you can use the same process as with an Invisalign tray to whiten your teeth. But what about someone who has a fixed retainer? Can they still get their teeth whitened?
If you have a permanent retainer, then you can still whiten your teeth without any issues since the gel is only directly applied to the front of the teeth. The wire attached to the back of your teeth will not interfere with any teeth whitening procedure that we’d recommend.
You’ll Leave Smiling…We Guarantee It!
Here at BRO, we want each of our patients to be so confident in their new smile that they just can’t stop smiling! If you want a smile that is brighter than your favorite movie star’s, you don’t need to go to Los Angeles. Come visit us in Asheville, Hendersonville or Brevard.