A. Tooth
whitening
is absolutely safe and many studies have demonstrated that tooth whitening does not weaken or
damage the teeth.Q. How old do you have to be to whiten your teeth?
A. We recommend age 12 and up.
Q. Can you be too old to whiten your teeth?
A. You cannot be too old to whiten your teeth. Some of our most excited tooth-whitening
patients have been in their
seventies and eighties as they found that tooth whitening quickly and easily takes years off their appearance.
Q. Does bleaching always work?
A.
Bleaching
is an inexpensive process that is designed to take the dark pigments out of the teeth. It will not whiten
fillings or crowns
on teeth. In addition, certain types of discolorations tend to respond better to bleaching than others.
Based on our experience bleaching several thousand people's teeth, we can give patients a reasonably accurate
predication of the results they can expect with tooth bleaching, but there can be no guarantee of results.
Q. Can you bleach old fillings or crowns?
A.
Bleaching only affects natural tooth structure, not artificial fillings or
crowns.
Q. I want to bleach my teeth, but I have fillings or crowns on my teeth. What do I do?
A. If you have old
fillings or crowns, don't be
concerned. Bleach your teeth and then, when you are happy with the
results, we can replace old fillings or crowns to match your new whiter smile.
Q. Can bleaching weaken my teeth?
A.
Bleaching
only takes the dark pigments out of teeth and does not weaken them in any way.
Q. Is bleaching bad for my gums?
A. The
bleaching
materials we use today were actually developed originally as a treatment for periodontal disease.
Researchers noticed that, while they had no long term benefits for gum disease, the oxygen released during the
bleaching process did help kill certain types of bacteria during the actual bleaching sessions.
Q. Can I try bleaching my teeth first and then do veneers later if I am not happy with the results.
A. You can always start with
bleaching
and then use veneers
later. In your consultation with the doctors, they will
let you know what results you can expect from bleaching and then you can decide what you want to do. Some people
may decide to start with bleaching and contouring and then do veneers in the future.
Q. Can teeth darken after tooth whitening?
A. It depends on how they are
whitened. The same process that lets us bleach teeth can let them darken again. Teeth
are permeable. That means
stains can go in and out. Generally teeth that have been bleached will darken a little over
time but it would take at least several years for them to return to their original color. If the teeth are whitened with
veneers or crowns
, they will not darken significantly at all.
Q. If teeth do darken after whitening, what can I do?
A. If they darken more than you want, you can
bleach
them again. As long as you save your models and bleaching
trays, you can do a touch up bleaching for a few days at any time in the future by purchasing an inexpensive touch-up
kit of bleach material.
Q. What can cause teeth to be dark?
A. Some people simply start out with darker teeth than other people. Anything that could stain a white cloth can cause
your teeth to darken. The worst offenders are smoking of any
kind, dark beverages like red wine and cokes, and dark
gravies and sauces. Skipping regular cleanings also lets deposits build up and penetrate into the tooth to darken them.
Q. If I smoke or eat and drink foods that tend to stain teeth, does that mean I can't whiten my teeth?
A. Regardless of your habits, you can have whiter teeth. If your teeth are dark and your habits tend to stain your
teeth,
you will get a less than desirable result from the tooth bleaching
