Teeth Whitening: Featured Article

Teeth Whitening: Getting That Lovely Smile Back

All of us would love to have pearly white teeth that dazzle the people around us when we smile. Unfortunately, not all of us have the perfect set of teeth. In most cases, our lifestyle does not really help us keep healthy and free from blemishes.Good thing that there are many teeth whitening methods that can bring back the luster and beauty of our teeth without really costing us a fortune. In fact, there is good number of affordable and effective teeth whitening products that you can readily buy in supermarkets and drugstores without a prescription.

Teeth Whitening Toothpastes

One of the most affordable and widely used teeth whitening agent is the toothpaste. According to experts, whitening toothpastes can help lighten the color of your teeth by about one shade. The good thing about using teeth whitening toothpaste is that most of these types of toothpaste do not contain any bleaching agents that may cause some irritations to the gums.

If you one of those people who are very sensitive to products that contains hydrogen peroxide which is commonly used as a bleaching agent for teeth, you can feel safe with most whitening toothpastes. Furthermore, whitening toothpastes do not really cost as much as the other types of teeth whitening products. However, since teeth whitening toothpaste usually does not contain bleach, it can only remove surface stains.

Whitening Strips and Gels

Peroxide based strips and gels can be purchased over the counter. By applying these products directly into your teeth, your teeth can become one to two shades lighter. To achieve the best results, you must use these products for a certain period of time. In some cases, you need to use these products for about 14 days up to 4 months depending on the degree of discoloration in your teeth. Since these products are peroxide based, some experts cautioned against their use especially if you have sensitive gums.

In-Office Whitening

Seeking professional help is the best way for you to have pearly white teeth. Over the counter breaching gels and whitening toothpastes may be good but there is really nothing more effective than having your teeth treated by a professional. Always remember that whitening gels and toothpaste do not have a long lasting effect. Besides, you need to use the product repeatedly for a period of time before you can actually notice some difference in the color of your teeth. On, the other hand, an in-office teeth whitening process may give you that pearly white you dreamed of is just a few minutes. What is more interesting about in-office bleaching procedure that is administered by your dentist is that its effect usually last a long time.

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May 28, 2007

Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are another fantastic tool used in cosmetic dentistry to help create that perfect smile. Unlike crowns which cover the whole tooth, dental veneers are wafer-thin shells of porcelain which are just bonded to the front of your teeth. 

Porcelain itself it a fairly brittle material but the bonding process adds additional strength to a veneer leaving you with a beautiful, durable and completely natural looking tooth. Dental veneers take on the appearance of enamel and provide the means for a truly remarkable cosmetic restoration.

Although porcelain has amazing crushing strength it doesn’t react well to twisting so once you have had a tooth or your teeth veneered you need to avoid foods that will require any kind of gnawing or twisting action.

Dental veneers have a variety of uses with veneers being used as an alternative to tooth whitening, braces, crowns and other cosmetic dentistry techniques. Porcelain veneers can be used to disguise discoloured or chipped teeth, close gabs, straighten teeth, assist with realignment and reshape your smile.

Veneers have a distinct advantage over dental crowns in that there is no requirement for the tooth to be ground down prior to the veneer being bonded to the tooth. In addition, veneers tend to be more aesthetically pleasing providing you with an even more natural appearance.

Given the nature of a veneer, in that it is bonded to the front of your tooth, veneers are only of any use for cosmetic restoration of front teeth.

Getting a veneer is so easy and a great alternative for those hate the dentist chair. An initial visit will involve your cosmetic dentist taking an impression of your teeth and you may require some minor contouring work. The second visit will be purely for the veneer to be bonded into place providing you with an instant and fantastic looking result.

With teeth that are too damaged for a veneer you can use a veneer in conjunction with a crown to obtain a perfect finish.

Dental veneers are basically used for aesthetic purposes so are unlikely to be covered by your dental insurance although you might get some level of discount if you have a dental care plan.

As with most cosmetic dentistry veneers do not come cheap with a single porcelain veneer likely to set you back $700 to $1500 although the lower end of the range is more common. There is an alternative which is a composite veneer which comes with a significantly reduced price tag (around $250) but the material has a shorter lifespan and obviously doesn’t provide you with the same quality result.

For more information on Cosmetic Dentistry visit 1st-4-teeth.com 

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