Teeth whitening is a process that can be done at home using over the counter products, even whitening tooth pastes are available. However, tooth whitening, being a dental procedure, is best done with products and knowledge only possessed by a Rocklin dentist. If you are not happy with your smile, make an appointment with your dentist, have a general check-up and while you are there talk to the dentist about teeth whitening. Your dentist is the individual who knows best and is the most suitable person to tell you if you are a good candidate for the procedure or not.
Are you a good candidate?
A Rocklin dentist sees many patients who want cosmetic dentistry of some sort, some are good candidates while some are not; this is particularly true with teeth whitening. There are a number of reasons why tooth whitening may not help.
- People who have had certain tooth restorations such as white fillings, veneers or bonding are not good candidates for teeth whitening, the peroxide solution that is used by the dentist will have no effect, manmade materials cannot have their color changed. Such things as veneers were originally made a certain color; that is the color they will stay. When teeth restorations are made the color is chosen by the dentist at the time to perfectly match the surrounding natural teeth; if the natural teeth become discolored and then whitened, the surrounding restored teeth will appear discolored and quite of place.
- Teeth which are discolored due to developmental problems or have been subjected to a root canal may not be good candidates as the whitening solution will not work. In situations like this permanent external restorations may be the only option; this is something that you can discuss with your Rocklin dentist.
- The best candidates for teeth whitening are those which have a slight yellow hue to them; teeth which are somewhat grey or black will not whiten well.
- Your teeth may be perfect candidates for whitening but if you pregnant or nursing an infant it is best to wait. There has not been enough research carried out to fully determine if the chemicals used in teeth whitening have any detrimental effect on new mothers or pregnant women.
- If you have hypersensitive teeth do not attempt to have them whitened, the process may make the sensitivity even worse.
If you do not exhibit any of these issues, your teeth can be whitened and you can once again exhibit a beautiful, white smile, however, if tooth whitening is not for you your Rocklin dentist has other options for perfectly white teeth.
