Benefits and Risks of Teeth Whitening

A great smile is one that’s winning and memorable. Of course, not everyone has a winning smile. There’s not shame in that since so many different things can affect the quality of your smile. One major factor is dental staining and tooth discoloration. Thankfully, this can be addressed through cosmetic dentistry. Right now, we’d like to focus in on tooth discoloration and how teeth whitening treatments can improve the appearance of your teeth. Our Harrisburg cosmetic dentist will be able to go over these matters in greater detail during a consultation, but this will give you a good idea of what the treatment involves.

Teeth whitening treatment will involve the application of a special bleaching solution to the teeth. This bleaching solution is then exposed to a laser light to help activate its whitening properties. The treatment will take less than an hour overall, and the results can be quite dramatic. Just one teeth whitening treatment in our office can whiten your smile by several shades. Additional Harrisburg teeth whitening treatments can be performed as needed to make your smile look its whitest.

One of the biggest benefits of teeth whitening is that it is very effective. The results of professional teeth whitening are far more dramatic than the results of over-the-counter teeth whitening. The reason for this is that the bleaching solution in professional whitening is much more powerful than the bleaching agents used in over-the-counter whitening products. (For this reason, dentist supervision is required.) Even very stained teeth can be treated with professional teeth whitening.

In general, the only major risk when it comes to teeth whitening is increased tooth sensitivity. This is especially true in the hours following treatment. Your dentist will ensure that this sensitivity is not acute. If you do experience tooth sensitivity, it’s advisable that you brush and floss gently that evening and that you rinse your mouth with lukewarm water to avoid discomfort. The tooth sensitivity will gradually fade.

For more information on teeth whitening treatment as well as other dental care treatments, be sure to contact our cosmetic dentistry office in Harrisburg today.