Our team would love to help you feel confident in your smile, and to help you make a great first impression with a shining smile. Which means if you have stained teeth, we can offer professional teeth whitening to brighten smiles by several shades! In today’s blog, your Sheridan, WY, dentist talks about our teeth whitening treatment options.

Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Teeth Discoloration

First, let’s look at the different types of teeth stains. Extrinsic discoloration forms on the surfaces of your teeth, and could be caused by factors like the foods and drinks we consume, tobacco products, or poor oral hygiene. Intrinsic teeth stains actually form beneath the outer enamel, the result of oral health issues like injured teeth, exposure to certain medications as a young child, and excess fluoride exposure, called fluorosis. As part of your teeth whitening treatment, our team will assess the type of discoloration you have, so we can choose the best cosmetic solution.

In-Office vs. At-Home Treatment

In-office teeth whitening can easily remove extrinsic stains. Our team will apply a bleaching gel to the teeth and then use a special light to activate it, breaking up and removing the discoloration in as little as an hour. This could brighten teeth by several shades, and provide results quickly if you have a first date, job interview, or special event in the next few days.

Our home-based teeth whitening treatment involves bringing home a set of plastic trays and a bleaching gel. You then wear the gel-filled trays for about an hour a day over a period of about one to two weeks. This can handle extrinsic stains and minor intrinsic ones, removing the stains and brightening teeth by several shades without causing major tooth sensitivity. For some, teeth could be eight shades brighter! You can keep the trays and any remaining gel for touch-ups as needed in the months to come.

Masking Your Discoloration

What if you have serious intrinsic discoloration? In these situations, our team could recommend cosmetic treatments to mask the discoloration, often in one visit. With dental bonding, we use the same composite resin employed in our fillings or to repair teeth and mask the stains. The process takes a single visit. We also have custom porcelain veneers, thin shells we use to cover the teeth and instantly mask esthetic concerns, veneers can offer our patients a smile makeover in some cases! If you have any questions about teeth whitening, then contact our team today to learn more.  We want to help you feel confident in your smile.

Talk to Our Team About Cosmetic Dentistry

We would love to help you enjoy a bright and beautiful smile. Reach out to Grinnell Street Dental in Sheridan, WY at 307-672-7567 to start your cosmetic treatment.