There are a variety of reasons why you may need teeth whitening as your teeth become dull and discolored over time. Age, stain-producing food and drink and tobacco are just a few of the causes that can lead to a less-than-dazzling smile. Cosmetic Dentistry today provides many options for teeth whitening and really bringing your smile to life. One very effective treatment that is used at Spokane, Cheney Cosmetic Dentistry is the Zoom Teeth Whitening System. This bleaching process is very effective and widely used today to whiten and brighten discolored tooth enamel. Here’s a brief description of the process:

Is Zoom Whitening Right for You?
Before deciding if Zoom In-Office teeth whitening is right for you, we will conduct a comprehensive examination of your teeth and gums to ensure your overall oral health and discuss your at-home oral hygiene routine as well as your lifestyle. This will help you and your dentist agree on the whitening product or technique that's best suited for you.

The Zoom Whitening System
Spokane Cosmetic Dental Office recommends a regular cleaning with our hygienist prior to the Zoom teeth whitening session. After your teeth have been professionally cleaned, the whitening treatment begins by protecting the lips and gums, leaving only the teeth exposed. A hydrogen peroxide-based gel is then carefully applied to the tooth enamel. The Zoom procedure uses a special bleaching light fitted with an infrared filter to minimize the amount of heat to which the patient’s teeth are exposed. Once the light is in position it illuminates all the teeth being treated. Immediately following the bleaching treatment, a sensitivity-reducing fluoride paste-gel is applied to the teeth. The entire process takes about an hour.

Post Treatment Guidelines
After your in-office teeth whitening procedure is complete, you will be given a Zoom touch-up kit to take home (including custom-fit whitening trays) and instructions on how the kit should be used. We will also provide you with a list of stain-producing foods and beverages that should be used in moderation to maintain the whitening effects of the Zoom treatment.

Our bodies and our health change with age, a fact that of which we all become aware. You may not realize, however, that your teeth are also affected by the passing of years. Maybe you’ve found that you have a harder time keeping your teeth shiny and white as you get older. Even though you’re following the same brushing and flossing routine, it may no longer have the desired effect of maintaining your youthful smile. Perhaps over-the-counter whitening treatments are not removing stains as they once did.

At Cheney Cosmetic Dentist Office we find many patients don’t understand why their teeth are becoming duller and harder to whiten. There are actually a number of reasons dental enamel can change in appearance over the years. Environmental factors contribute to some extent but more often this dulling is part of the natural aging process.

You can remove some stains on the surface of dental enamel through regular flossing and brushing. These stains are often caused by discoloring foods and drinks such as soda, coffee, tea, and red wine which can all leave stains on teeth. Use of tobacco products especially can also make enamel appear dark, dull, and discolored. When they are relatively new, these stains can often be removed or effectively bleached away, but will eventually seep into porous enamel, making them difficult to remove.

The teeth of a young person are covered with a thick layer of white enamel, concealing the inner core of the tooth. As you age, this enamel begins to erode, exposing more of the dentin beneath the surface. Dentin is naturally a darker, yellow color so older teeth often appear dull and yellow in comparison to healthy new teeth.

Different teeth whitening options are available depending on your cosmetic goals, the extent of discoloration, and urgency with which you need to see results. There are patients who respond well to professional teeth bleaching treatments developed to lighten discoloration using hydrogen or carbamide peroxide. Dental veneers, which completely resurface enamel using thin layers of porcelain, may be a better option for patients with extensive or resistant staining.

It’s impossible to eliminate all dental staining. Your teeth will naturally change appearance and lose some of their luster over time in addition to accumulating environmental stains. But today’s modern cosmetic dentistry can restore the bright and luminous nature of your teeth, resulting in a more youthful looking smile. Call the Spokane Cosmetic Dentist Office today to learn more about teeth whitening options or to discuss your situation in greater detail.

There’s a huge selection of tooth whitening tray kits available in your supermarket.  But did you know that choosing a customized at-home tooth whitening kit from a qualified cosmetic dentist may prevent other dental issues arising from the use of over-the-counter whitening agents?

 

Home whitening tray kits cannot provide the exact fit obtained when using a custom made whitening tray provided by your dentist.  A custom tray is designed to minimize the contact of bleaching gel with gum tissue.  Trays that don’t fit properly can also cause irritation when the edge of a bleaching tray rubs against the gums.

 

When custom bleaching trays are used gum irritation can be kept to a minimum, helping to protect you against more serious gum issues (periodontitis, gingivitis) down the road. For this reason a custom-fit whitening tray is most important in instances where a relatively higher concentration whitener is being used. In order to provide a perfect-fitting customized tray, your Spokane Tooth Whitening Dentist takes an impression of your teeth. The resulting custom-made tray is trimmed so that it covers the entire surface of each tooth, falling just short of the gum line.  This special contouring not only protects the sensitive gum tissue but also eliminates irritation caused by tray edges rubbing against the gum line.

 

The fit of a custom-molded tray from your cosmetic dentist has other advantages:

 

Contact with the entire tooth surface: A uniform whitening effect is best achieved when the whitener being used remains in contact with the entire surface of a tooth.

Proper tray retention: It’s important that the whitening tray stay in place for maximum whitening action.  A custom-fabricated tray can virtually guarantee this type of fit.

 

Contact Cheney Cosmetic Dentistry to determine if you’re a better candidate for an in-office whitening procedure such as the Sapphire Whitening System or a customized, take-home bleaching kit. Your cosmetic dentist is highly trained and dedicated to your overall oral health as well as helping you achieve a brighter smile.