A white smile can help you reveal a more confident grin. However, before you whiten your teeth, your dentist needs to examine your teeth to determine whether they are healthy enough for this cosmetic procedure. Our Delta and Surrey dentists share the criteria we use to establish whether you are a candidate for teeth whitening.
One way to enhance the appearance of your teeth is by whitening them. While a whiter smile can encourage you to confidently reveal your grin more often, there are some things you should know before you apply that first whitening strip.
Our Delta and Surrey dental team will need to check your smile to confirm whether your teeth are healthy enough for whitening treatment. Today, we'll list our criteria for deciding whether teeth whitening is an option for you.
Am I a good candidate for teeth whitening?
When considering teeth whitening, the first item on your to-do list will be to book a consultation with your dentist in Delta or Surrey. They will check your teeth for any signs of decay, thinning or weakened enamel that may impact the results of a teeth whitening treatment.
We might also discourage bleaching and recommend another treatment option such as porcelain veneers if you have very sensitive teeth or periodontal disease.
Patients with health, unrestored teeth (with no fillings) and gums but who do have yellow tones or discoloured teeth are the best candidates for teeth whitening.
What should I expect from teeth whitening treatment?
For many patients, bleaching has proven safe and effective. That said, remember that some patients may experience slight gum irritation or tooth sensitivity that should resolve once treatment ends. As for the type of results you can realistically expect, bleaching your teeth can only yield a change in shade from gray to a lighter shade of gray, for example.
Keep in mind that each patient's results will vary and visible restorations such as a bridge or crown will not respond to whitening; they will stay the same colour as they were previously.
After using one of our cosmetic kits to whiten your teeth, you'll usually have at least one vial of bleaching gel remaining from your first course of treatment. This can be used for touchups. You can also continue to purchase vials of bleaching gels in the future to use with your custom whitening strips.
Consistent Oral Hygiene is the Best Way to Preserve Your Smile
No matter how healthy your teeth are, our dentists recommend seeing your dentist for a checkup and cleaning once every six months (frequency of visits will vary between patients depending on the general condition of their teeth and gums and their at-home oral hygiene routine).
A solid at-home oral care routine with consistent visits to the dentist is the best way to keep your smile white and prevent oral health problems.