Teeth Whitening 101: The Fundamentals of Pearly Whites  

by Arthur Glosman DDS

It’s no secret that, given the choice, anyone would choose to have a beautifully white smile. For some, this comes naturally as result of their genetics and dedication to proper oral hygiene. For the rest of us, however, it may seem that little or no chance of achieving that sparkly white smile we dream exists despite each and every effort we take to maintain our smile. While this may have been true 40 or 50 years ago, there has been much advancement in the field of cosmetic dentistry and as such the average person is allowed access to a multitude of options when aspiring for the smile of their dreams. Knowing your options is important, and this guide will give you all you need to know.

Knowing Your Smile: Anatomy of a Tooth

Even those of us without perfect dental genetics typically have beautifully white teeth. This is due to the porcelain-like enamel that covers them. Enamel exists to defend our teeth from the deteriorating effects of chewing, grinding, and trauma as well as from various food or drink with acid qualities. As time passes, our enamel wears thin leaving a more transparent covering of our tooth’s primary material, dentin. During acts like chewing, our teeth’s dentin stays safe while the enamel suffers millions of microscopic cracks. It is not only on the surface of our teeth that stains exist, but also within these cracks in the form of assorted debris. Between the gradual transitions to transparency that reveals yellowish dentin and the buildup of debris in our enamel, the average person’s smile develops duller, tarnished qualities that we tend to feel is undesirable. Cosmetic dentistry provides many teeth whitening options to remedy these attributes by removing the stains and debris, or covering them up altogether.

The Options: Which Teeth Whitening is Right For Me?

For those looking to receive cosmetic dentistry to whiten their teeth, there are four major options available: over-the-counter whitening, dentist dispensed take-home whitening, in-office whitening, and porcelain veneers. 

The over-the-counter whitening route is one that many people are most aware of as there are now entire aisles in most local drugstores dedicated to these products. These products have a bleaching gel with a lower concentration than the professionally dispensed products, but are popular as they are typically the cheapest and most convenient. Available as whitening strips, paint-on applicators, and one-size-fits-all trays, this option will typically work to whiten only the front teeth as opposed to the custom trays available from your cosmetic dentist that can whiten your whole smile.

The custom made take-home whitening sets available from your cosmetic dentist may cost more than an over-the-counter kit, but many dentists argue they achieve the best results in the long run. These kits involve a trip to your cosmetic dentist to have a mold of your teeth taken to create your custom whitening trays. These kits come with a higher concentration whitening gel than over-the-counter kits and thus work faster than the over-the-counter kits. Use them as your dentist advises.

The biggest draw to an in-office whitening treatment by your cosmetic dentist is time; most people can achieve a significant change to their smile’s whiteness with only one treatment that lasts about an hour. This procedure typically involves the use of a high-concentration whitening gel applied to the teeth while protecting the gums with a rubber dam. The gel is responsive to light and a laser light is directed at the teeth during the procedure to achieve the fast results. This procedure can be costly, but is one of the best ways to whiten your smile fast.

The most expensive option, though arguably the best if more problems than discoloration exist, is to have porcelain veneers placed. In placing porcelain veneers, your cosmetic dentist will shave off a thin layer from the front of your teeth in order to place a wafer-like porcelain veneer that has been custom designed to make your smile brilliant given your unique facial features. Since they are custom made and then placed, veneers can be any color or shade of white (your cosmetic dentist will help you to decide the best for you) as well as any shape which can be utilized to correct imperfection in your current teeth’s shape or size. With this route, people who have crooked or chipped teeth can do more than whiten them by restoring their smile to a natural and beautiful design.

So there you have it, the basics on current teeth whitening options. Whichever path you choose, always consult your dentist about which option would serve you best and follow the directions of at-home treatments so as not to cause damage.

Dr. Glosman DDS is a practicing aesthetic and reconstructive dentist located in Beverly Hills California. You can read more about him in the Summer 2009 Cosmetic Dentist Review at Dr Arthur Glosman Featured Cosmetic Dentist Review or visit his website at www.arthurglosmandds.com

by Dr. A.G.