Stained teeth can be very embarrassing and nothing to smile about. It can be the source of many an unhappy moment and stolen memories. You don’t want to smile for fear that someone is staring at you and making fun of the colour of your teeth.
Stained teeth are the most common complaint that dentists hear from their patients. It is also one of the easier dentistry problems that can be fixed but brushing alone is not the solution for your teeth.
What are the main causes to discolouring of teeth? Cigarettes and tobacco are the worst offenders. Coffee, tea, wine, cola and fruit juices are also big offenders. Any foods that can stain your clothing or carpets can probably put stains on your teeth.
Aging is also a big offender to teeth yellowing, as well as poor dental hygiene. The hard outer coating to your teeth called enamel, wears thin allowing the underneath yellow dentin layer to show through.
Some prescription drugs and vitamins can cause stained or uneven looking teeth. Excessive use of fluoride can also cause teeth to become stained and should be used in moderation.
Prevention is the best solution to teeth staining. Brushing your teeth 3 times daily (or at least after every meal) and regular dentist checkups are key to early prevention.
There are many methods to get rid of stained teeth and some work better than others. We recommend that you check with your dentist before trying any at home remedies or store bought remedies to be sure you are using the right product for the stain you have and whether you are using it safely.
Teeth whitening is a simple and usually painless procedure (although some may be sensitive to it) and has immediate results. In about an hour your teeth can be up to eight shades whiter! The procedure takes about 90 minutes altogether.
Zoom whitening is a sure fire way of brightening your smile from stained teeth and boosting your confidence. Zoom whitening involves the use of gel applied to your teeth, then the application of a UV light to activate the gel.
A pre treatment of your gums and lips involves isolating them before the gel can be applied to your teeth. The Zoom whitening procedure is three stages of a gel/bleach application and light applicator at about 20 minutes each. The light produces some heat but it is tolerable and not normally enough to make the patient uncomfortable.
Teeth Veneers are also a very good way at covering: stained teeth, gaps, or making crooked teeth look straight. They can also make you look years younger without undergoing cosmetic surgery!
Veneers are for just about everyone but if you have another underlying gum problem or tooth decay, that needs to be treated before you get your veneers.
The veneer procedure takes about 2-3 visits at most dentists that perform this procedure. In the first visit, your dentist will take an impression of your teeth and send it to a lab that will make your veneers. Some prep work of your teeth may need to happen, like scraping some tooth enamel in order to make room for the veneers. Bradford Family Dentistry can give you Lumineers Veneers in 2 visits, or Cerec Veneers in just 1 visit, as we have the equipment on site to do this! You can also watch as the veneers are being made by the 3D printer.
With most dentists, in 1 – 2 weeks your veneers will be ready. In your second visit to the dentist office, the veneers will be bonded and fitted to your original teeth. Sometimes the veneers will need to be shaped or the colour adjusted and the veneers sent back to the lab.
Teeth whitening techniques in the dental office are very safe and you will save yourself a lot of headache, time and money! Teeth whitening techniques work very well for stained teeth and are very effective at making them several shades whiter.
Give us a call 1 – 877 – 283 – 0497 and we can provide you a consultation for stained teeth treatment options to give you the whitest smile you’ve ever had.