Tooth Whitening / Teeth Whitening Questions
Serving Fort Lauderdale, Boynton Beach, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, and Boca Raton, Florida
Why do our teeth become discolored? Everyone has a natural tooth color, just as we all have natural skin, eye, and hair colors. Your teeth may be naturally a little darker in shade than some other people’s teeth. As we age, the natural tooth color become a little darker, regardless of what our diet is like.
Tooth stains can be organic (easy to remove) or inorganic (hard to remove). The natural tooth color is organic, as are the stains from food pigments. If you are a big coffee drinker, that will darken your teeth, as will a lot of red wine, but these are organic stains and easy to treat.
Tooth stains from the tetracycline drugs and from fluoride are inorganic. and when these are given in childhood, they will stain the teeth as they develop. These are deep stains. They cannot be removed by standard tooth whitening systems, but the KöR Deep Bleaching™ System used by West Palm Beach Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Sarris can remove them.
Further, aging causes gradual wear on the teeth that can thin the enamel and allow the yellow dentin layer to show through. Since it is a yellow layer, the teeth gain a yellowish tinge. This is not removable staining, but does affect the tooth color.
How does tooth whitening work?
The substance that actually whitens teeth is oxygen. White pigment molecules are short, and dark pigment molecules are long. When the oxygen enters the tooth structure, it breaks up the long molecules, removing the dark color.The tooth whitening gels used in the various whitening systems give off oxygen and their effectiveness depends partly on how well your teeth can absorb the oxygen. The faster oxygen is absorbed, the more quickly your teeth can whiten.
Some other factors that affect teeth whitening are: The strength of the whitening gel – the stronger it is, the more oxygen it gives off to whiten your teeth. But your teeth must be able to absorb that oxygen.
The length of time whitening gel is in contact with your teeth – longer times give more whitening. If trays are used, how well they fit your teeth – a snug fit keeps the gel in close and even contact with your teeth and keeps saliva out, which would otherwise dilute the gel. When we sleep we do not salivate much, and that is why it is more effective to wear the trays at night.
Does tooth whitening hurt?
That depends on what tooth whitening system is used and how well it is used. The KöR Deep Bleaching™ System used by Dr. Sarris was specifically designed to be painless and for most people it causes no discomfort at all. For a very few people it causes minimal discomfort. Most people who have not whitened their teeth because of the possible discomfort find that this system is quite comfortable and very effective.
How comfortable are the at-home trays used by the KöR Deep Bleaching™ System? They are so comfortable that many people forget they are wearing them. They are made extra-thin and very snug. They do not interfere with your sleep at all. It is the good fit that makes them comfortable.
Will my teeth look unnatural and too white?
No. They could be as much as 16 shades whiter, depending on how discolored they were to begin with, but they will not look unnatural or artificial. If you have seen any cosmetic dentistry patients who do have an unnatural look, they may have poorly-done porcelain veneers. Not every dentist who offers cosmetic procedures is fully trained in how to do them well.
Please see our page on Teeth Whitening for more information.You can learn more about your teeth and how they can be made more attractive-looking by scheduling your complimentary teeth whitening consultation with Dr. Sarris. Our office serves tooth whitening patients in Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, and Pompano Beach in Florida.
Contact Us
561.278.7450
John G. Sarris, D.M.D., P.A.
1911 S. Federal Highway, Suite 600
Delray Beach, Florida 33483
