3 Options for Whitening Your Teeth

Your smile plays a major role in your overall confidence. Research confirms it. If you’re unhappy with your smile because your teeth aren’t as white as you’d like them to be, your day-to-day self-esteem may take a hit.

Luckily, this isn’t a problem without a solution. Effective options for whitening your teeth include the following:

Bleaching

At-home whitening strips you may purchase at a pharmacy can potentially whiten your teeth to a degree. However, for truly stunning results, consider professional whitening services.

A cosmetic dentistry professional offering teeth whitening treatment could improve your smile’s brightness in just one appointment. In-office teeth bleaching involves:

• Applying a rubber shield or a gel to protect the gums
• Applying a bleaching agent to your teeth
• Activating the whitening agent with a specialized light

The treatment process is simple and noninvasive. If an at-home teeth whitening treatment is more convenient for you, a cosmetic dentist can provide an option that’s more effective than over-the-counter whitening strips and toothpastes. Professional at-home teeth whitening involves:

• Making an impression of your teeth
• Using the impression to create a custom mouthguard that fits your teeth and mouth perfectly
• Applying a whitening agent to the mouthguard and wearing it for a certain period of time every day

Your dentist will explain how long you should wear a mouthguard for ideal results. They’ll also let you know when you can stop wearing the mouthguard on a daily basis.

Veneers

A veneer is basically a shell that looks just like the front side of a natural, healthy tooth. Common materials for veneers include porcelain and composite resins.

When placing a veneer over your teeth, a dentist will:

• Prepare each tooth by removing a very thin layer of enamel
• Use a special bonding gel to attach each veneer to each tooth
• Activate the bonding gel with a specialized light

Veneers cover up stains, resulting in brighter smiles. A dentist might also recommend veneers to improve the appearance of misshapen or damaged teeth.

Cosmetic Bonding

Cosmetic bonding is a treatment involving the application of a composite material to a tooth. The composite material’s color matches that of a healthy tooth, making it a useful tool for concealing stains. 

Cosmetic bonding is another simple treatment option that’s relatively affordable and may take less than one hour to complete. Along with addressing stained teeth, cosmetic bonding can:

• Improve a chipped tooth’s shape
• Conceal a crack in a tooth
• Ensure the color of a tooth is smooth and consistent

The above points highlight an important fact: there’s no single teeth whitening treatment that’s right for every patient. If your teeth are merely stained, professional bleaching might be ideal. If your teeth are also damaged, misshapen, or both, you could achieve superior results through cosmetic bonding or veneers.

Discuss these options with a cosmetic dentistry professional for more information. A dentist offering teeth whitening treatments can help you better determine how best to enhance your smile for years to come.

Learn More About Teeth Whitening in Greer, South Carolina

At Greer Dental Studio, offering in-office bleaching, at-home bleaching, veneers, and cosmetic bonding services, we’ll gladly answer your questions about these treatment options. Get started today by requesting an appointment online or calling us at 864-259-2590.