Teeth Whitening – New Bedford, MA

How Teeth Become Discolored

There are two types of teeth stains: extrinsic and intrinsic.

Extrinsic stains occur on the surface of the tooth. They are typically caused by factors such as consuming darkly pigmented foods and drink, tobacco use, or poor oral hygiene. Fortunately, extrinsic stains normally respond well to regular dental cleanings and whitening toothpaste.

Intrinsic stains, on the other hand, happen beneath the surface of the tooth. They occur when staining particles penetrate the enamel (the outer layer of the tooth) and reach the underlying layer known as dentin. This type of stain may be caused by excessive fluoride consumption during childhood or exposure to the antibiotic tetracycline. Intrinsic stains are more stubborn to remove, usually requiring professional whitening treatment.

In-Office Whitening

If you want a brighter smile yesterday, then in-office whitening is the right treatment for you. More often than not, it can be completed in one appointment that takes an hour or less.

First, one of our dentists will clean your teeth to make sure they are free of plaque. To keep your teeth dry, your mouth will be isolated with gauze. We may use a cheek retractor to keep your tongue, lips, and cheeks away from the bleaching gel. Next, the outside surfaces of your teeth will be coated with the whitening solution. We’ll use a special curing light to activate the bleaching agent, then let you sit for 30-60 minutes, until your smile is the perfect shade of white. To make your results last, we recommend that you abstain from darkly pigmented foods and drinks for 24 hours after treatment.

Take-Home Whitening

If you would prefer to achieve more gradual results from the comfort of your own home, then take-home whitening is the treatment for you. We’ll take impressions of your mouth to design your custom trays that will fit snugly over your teeth. You’ll fill these trays with our powerful whitening solution and wear them for a prescribed amount of time each day, usually around half an hour. While you’re wearing the trays, you can do pretty much everything you want, except eating. You could surf the web or binge-watch your favorite show. You should see dazzling results after just a couple of weeks.

Does Teeth Whitening Work for Everyone?

For the most part, teeth whitening should work for the majority of patients. However, because it’s a cosmetic treatment, we’ll have to make sure that you are in adequate oral health and that your mouth is free of decay beforehand. Most tooth stains, whether intrinsic or extrinsic, are able to be removed through professional teeth bleaching. It should be noted, though, that teeth whitening will not work on restorations like porcelain veneers or dental crowns.