Professional Tooth Whitening: A 5-Step Guide
Teeth whitening is one of the cosmetic dentistry procedures associated purely with improving aesthetics. Its results are an unmatched set of sparkling white teeth. This procedure takes a single appointment and shouldn't take longer than a few hours. If you're in doubt about the procedure, knowing more about the steps involved will help ease your mind. Here is a 5-step guide to professional teeth whitening.
Checking the Shade
First, the dentist will record the shade of your teeth. This will give the dentist an idea about the degree to which your teeth need to be whitened. This step will involve figuring out the required concentration for the whitening solution to get to the desired shade.
Cleaning and Polishing
The dentist then uses pumice to polish and clean your teeth. The best surface to absorb the whitening agent is a dry surface. This means that the dentist may need to keep a gauze pad in your mouth for a while. Cleaning your teeth helps get rid of any plaque accumulating in your mouth and on your teeth.
The dentist will use retractors to keep your tongue, gums and lips from interfering with this whitening agent.
Coating Teeth With the Whitening Agent
The next step involves using the whitening agent on your teeth. The hydrogen peroxide solution is the best and most commonly used bleaching agent. The dentist will apply the whitening solution to coat your teeth. The application process will only cover the frontal side of your teeth, leaving out the posterior side. This is because the goal of the teeth whitening process is only to improve the aesthetic of your smile.
The backside of your teeth won't show, regardless of how hard you smile. This solution opens up the pores of your teeth temporarily, penetrating them to fight off stains from within, whitening your teeth. The coating will stay on your teeth for almost half an hour before your dentist proceeds to the next step.
Rinsing
The next step involves thorough rinsing, to get rid of the residue solution. Don't be surprised if your dentist chooses to brush your teeth as well. This is because the next step involves fluoride treatment.
Finishing With Fluoride Treatment
Your dentist will then brush your teeth thoroughly with fluoride varnish. It is used to retain the whiteness of teeth and to sustain the new whiteness you've achieved. Besides, fluoride helps to get rid of existing plaque in your mouth, since they are a major catalyst in causing staining on your teeth.
That's all with the whitening process. While you can expect some tooth sensitivity after whitening, it's temporary and goes away within no time.
To learn more about tooth whitening, reach out to a local cosmetic dentist.
