Your Teeth Whitening Options At The Cygnet Dental Practice

A look at the various ways we can help you achieve a more attractive smile!

Most people will probably now be aware of the teeth whitening treatment that is so popular and so widely used by celebrities and other media personalities. We have come a long way from when stained teeth on a news reporter were all too common, and presentation is now considered to be important in getting a message over to the public.

Interestingly, one of the procedures we will discuss, dental veneers,  actually came about as a result of Hollywood actors needing a more attractive smile during close up shots as many were heavy smokers who had badly stained teeth.

Our friendly Wickford dentists are here not only to ensure that you have healthy teeth but a more attractive smile as well. In today’s blog. We will take a look at the various teeth whitening options that we offer our patients.

Scale and polish

Let’s start with the most ‘basic’ and one that isn’t specifically designed for improving your smile. A scale and polish is provided by the dental hygienist as part of your regular visit. It is designed to remove hardened bacteria and minerals, known as tartar or calculus which can contribute to gum disease. The final part involves the use of a high speed rotating brush in order to do this. This also has the result of removing some surface staining. This can improve the appearance of your teeth in a limited way and is also a significant contributor to your oral health.

Teeth whitening

The number of advertisements promoting tooth whitening toothpastes should be proof that there is a big demand for this. Unfortunately, these products are almost inevitably going to leave people disappointed as they contain very little of the active whitening ingredient for safety reasons. To have your teeth whitened successfully, this will need to be done through a qualified cosmetic dentist such as those at the Cygnet Dental Practice.

After having ensured that your teeth and gums are healthy (after all, why have white teeth that are decayed!), we will take impressions of your teeth and these will be sent away to a dental laboratory where the trays that will contain the whitening gel are made. This is an important step and although these can be bought ‘off the shelf’, the one size fits all approach means that not only are they likely to be less comfortable but there is also a risk of leaking of the gel onto the gums, potentially causing painful burning. Our custom approach minimises the risk of this.

Once the trays have been produced, you will then be given the gel and instructions on how to apply this at home. This should be done for a few hours a day for a few weeks, gradually whitening your teeth in a safe and effective manner. For those of you worried about your teeth looking artificially ‘shiny’, please don’t worry. The procedure can be adjusted to the level of whiteness that you want.

Dental veneers

As mentioned earlier, these were first used in Hollywood to improve close up shots. Imagine a romantic kiss between Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall as they move close together revealing badly stained teeth!  To resolve this, the first dental veneers were produced. These were temporary and used only during the filming and would be impractical for things like eating. They did prove effective from an aesthetic point of view though and have been developed and improved over the years and now offer an excellent and practical cosmetic solution where teeth are badly stained or are cracked or chipped.

The treatment usually requires dental surgery although some now attach directly to the teeth without prior preparation. Your dentist will be able to recommend the most effective type following a consultation with the patient. The most common way to use teeth veneers is to do so by replacing the damaged natural surface of the tooth and replacing it with a porcelain veneer. This is done using a burr which gradually shaves away a fine layer from the front of the affected tooth or teeth. Impressions are then taken and sent away for the veneer to be produced. You will be fitted with temporary veneers during this short period of time.

When the veneers are returned to us, you will be recalled to have them fitted. This is done using a strong clinical adhesive to attach them. They are then trimmed and polished to provide you with a natural looking and attractive white replacement tooth surface. As porcelain is non porous, the whiteness should last for most of the veneer’s natural life span of around ten years.  Although they won’t stain easily, it is important that you do brush your teeth well otherwise the natural part of any veneer covered teeth could decay and threaten the security of the veneer.

In order to have your teeth whitened effectively, it is essential that you have them assessed correctly by one of our team so that you get the right treatment and the right result for you. If you would like to see how we can help you have a whiter and more attractive smile, please arrange a consultation with one of our cosmetic dentists by calling our Wickford clinic on 01268 733078.