Brighten Your Smile with Professional Teeth Whitening
While oral health is the primary focus of most dental offices, many people also seek out dentists for cosmetic reasons. This may be an appeal to vanity, but cosmetic dentistry also provides health benefits by boosting self-confidence and enhancing overall emotional well-being. Among the easiest, and most noticeable cosmetic dental treatments are professional teeth whitening treatments. Such treatments go above and beyond store-bought whitening toothpastes, rinses and treatment kits, and the dental professionals of Southwest Florida’s Island Tower Dentistry offer customized whitening trays, or a more permanent solution such as porcelain restoration.
The Difference Between Store-Bought and Dental Office Whitening
The primary difference between store-bought and dental office whitening treatments is the depth at which the cleaning agents reach the staining within the teeth. While tooth enamel may seem solid and smooth to the naked eye, its crystalline structure allows stain-causing molecules to penetrate it. Numerous substances—tobacco, coffee, red wine, tea, curries, colas, tomato sauces, to name a few—cause staining, with most having properties that allow them to penetrate into the enamel.
Whitening toothpastes primarily rely on abrasive materials to scour stains off the enamel surface. This is fine for surface stains and may work at preventing some staining substances from seeping into the enamel. However, it will not remove deep staining and may exacerbate tooth sensitivity.
Store-bought rinses and treatment kits rely on hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide as the active ingredient used to penetrate and dissolve deep stains in the teeth through oxidation. These are the same primary chemicals used by dental office treatment systems; however, dental office treatments are allowed to use much higher concentrations, making them much more powerful and faster acting. Additionally, dental-office treatments are customized by making an impression of your teeth that are used to craft dental trays that ensure coverage of all tooth enamel. Store-bought kits rely on one-size-fits all coverage that may not provide complete coverage.
Teeth Whitening Options at Island Tower Dentistry
Island Tower Dentistry offers its patients customized whitening trays. In tailoring your personalized teeth whitening treatment, Dr. Hermann J. Schulze, DDS, will strive to determine the source of deep staining in order to come up with the most effective cleaning regimen. Dr. Schulze will also account for teeth sensitivity and protect your gums from the chemicals to ensure that your procedure is as comfortable as possible.
The dental-care experts at Island Tower Dentistry have long included cosmetic dentistry and teeth whitening as part of its practice. In addition to teeth whitening, our Marco Island, Florida office offers a smile analysis and various smile makeover treatments that can further help you refine a brilliant smile that will boost your self-confidence and bring out the smile in others. To learn more about our personalized teeth whitening treatments, smile analysis, smile makeover, and other elements of our dental practice, please contact the Island Tower team today at 239-394-1004 to make an appointment!