Understanding Tooth-Bleaching Options
Understanding Tooth-Bleaching Options:
Teeth-whitening procedures are among the most commonly performed cosmetic dental procedures, yet many people don’t necessarily understand how they are performed. If you’re looking for an [url=http://lakeaustinfamilydental.com]Austin dental clinic[/url] that offers high-quality teeth whitening, it helps to be familiar with the different whitening options on the market and what differentiates them from each other and from at-home kits sold in drugstores and supermarkets.

The Whiteness Scale:
Understanding the efficacy of teeth whitening requires understanding the scale used to measure it. While different services use different scales to classify the whiteness of teeth, one of the most commonly used is the Vitapan Classic Shade Guide. It breaks teeth whiteness down into 16 shades, making it easy to gauge the effectiveness of whitening and to predict results.

Tooth Bleaching:
Tooth bleaching is perhaps the most common whitening procedure performed today. As the name implies, it involves chemically altering the whiteness of the teeth, usually with a bleaching gel. Since the process was introduced in the 1980s, bleaching has become very common, and most high-quality cosmetic dentists use advanced products that can lighten teeth by up to eight shades.
The basics of tooth bleaching are fairly simple. The dentist applies high-concentration bleaching gel to the teeth, usually for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. The application trays are removed and the process is repeated one or two more times. The active agent in these gels is typically either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide.
Different [url=http://lakeaustinfamilydental.com]Austin cosmetic dentists[/url] will employ different proprietary procedures to whiten teeth, so it’s important to set up a consultation appointment beforehand to determine what you can expect in terms of whitening. Depending on the technique and product used, a dentist can lighten your teeth between two and eight shades.

Light-Accelerated Tooth Bleaching:
Most top-quality cosmetic dentists utilize a modern technique known as light-accelerated bleaching, in which the efficacy of the whitening gels is augmented by light energy. While the procedure is sometimes erroneously referred to as “laser bleaching,” actual lasers have not been used for the light-energy source in years.
After the bleach is applied to the teeth, the dentist uses a light source to accelerate the bleaching process. Halogen, plasma arc, and LED can all be used as light sources, and are typically in the blue spectrum.
One of the primary benefits of the light-accelerated bleaching process is that it drastically reduces the amount of time it takes to whiten the teeth. A single 30-to-60 minute session is often all it takes to dramatically increase the whiteness of a patient’s teeth.

At-Home Bleaching:
Several different companies offer over-the-counter products which claim to offer dentist-quality teeth-whitening results. While many of these products can indeed increase tooth whiteness by several shades, most lack the quality and effectiveness of true teeth-bleaching options. Additionally, some at-home kits slightly damage the enamel on teeth, which could potentially have adverse effects. An experienced Austin teeth-whitening dentist is still the best way to get healthy, noticeably whiter teeth.

Contact Us:
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of high-quality teeth whitening, contact the compassionate Austin cosmetic dentists of Lake Austin Family Dental today.