An attractive smile is important. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry did a survey to determine how important an attractive a smile can be, and the survey showed that 96% of adults think that an attractive smile increases a person's sexual appeal. The same survey found that almost 3/4th of adults thought a poor smile can even have a poor effect on their job and career prospects. The majority of respondents stated they would like brighter and whiter teeth when asked what they would like to do to improve their own smile. Here is how a dentist can help improve your smile with a tray-based tooth whitening system.
Items Needed:
Pretreatment Examination
The dentist will want you to have a pretreatment examination where they will explain your teeth whitening options, but they will also be checking to make sure you are a good candidate to have your teeth whitened. Those who are 15 years old or younger, or women who are pregnant or lactating shouldn't have the procedure done. Other people who should avoid teeth whitening include those with advanced gum and periodontal disease, has had recent dental surgery, or is allergic to any of the teeth whitening ingredients. The dentist will examine your teeth and gums to make sure you are a viable candidate for having your teeth whitened.
Creating and Using a Tray
The dentist will make a mold of your upper and lower teeth and send the molds to a company that makes the teeth whitening trays—unless their dental clinic does this type of work in-house. You will receive back a tray that will fit comfortably in your mouth along with whitening materials. The whitening gels (usually a 10% carbamide peroxide solution) comes in large syringes specially designed to help you evenly spread out the gel onto the inside of the tray. You will typically have enough gel to last for a couple of weeks. You fill the tray by putting a dab of the gel in the front of each tooth slot in the mold (the front of your teeth will rest against the gel when you put the tray on). You will then wear the tray for several hours or overnight—depending on the type of whitening agent you will be using. Your dentist will go over all this with you and will train you on how to properly use the tray. The whitening process can take anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks before your teeth will become as white as they are going to get using the tray method.
For more information, contact Nitro Family Dentistry.
Share14 April 2015
Halloween is a holiday that my children love, and telling them they can't go door-to-door collecting candy would break their hearts. This led me to allowing them to collect candy on the holiday, then rationing it out to them every day instead of letting them gobble it up in just a few days. I always thought this was better for them, but my dentist told me this could be the reason why their February dental check-ups were always their worst ones. Daily candy consumption was taking a toll on their teeth. I started a new tradition of letting them indulge for two days, then giving them the option to swap the rest with me in exchange for a new toy. They never pass on the opportunity for a new toy. I created this blog to encourage other parents find similar tactics to keep their children's teeth healthy after Halloween.