Did you know that 81% of people think their smiles look unattractive?
That’s a rather saddening statistic: we want everyone to feel proud and confident of their smile! If you’re the type of person who avoids smiling for the camera because you’re not happy with their teeth, you’re not alone.
After all, research shows that a smile can play a huge role in making a good first impression. And if your smile isn’t quite “dazzling”, it’s only natural to feel self-conscious.
Tooth discolouration can be cause a number of reasons:
- General ageing
- Smoking tobacco
- Diet
- Poor dental hygiene
Fortunately, tooth discolouration is reversible in the vast majority of cases. There are a range of teeth whitening treatments at your local Armadale dentist, Dental Care Group, that will make your teeth shine again!
Teeth whitening in Armadale from Dental Care Group
Human beings have sought ways to get whiter smiles since ancient times.
The Egyptians were fond of using an early toothpaste made of vinegar and ground-up stone, while the Romans were fond of using urine to get whiter smiles (yes, you read that right!)
Luckily, dentistry has come a long way since those early days! Modern dental practices offer much more effective teeth whitening techniques.
1. In-chair whitening (“Gold Standard” of whitening)
We use a hydrogen peroxide-based solution that breaks down and dissolves surface-level marks, deeper discolouration, and many stubborn stains.
This type of procedure is commonly perfectly safe, however, there are some patients that are totally NOT suitable for tooth whitening, at least straight away.
This may be because:
- There are cavities
- They have sensitive areas on the teeth
- Their teeth have periodontal issues that are unsuitable for whitening
- Other issues that must be fixed first
We begin by applying a gel or rubber cover to protect your gums. Once the soft tissues of your mouth are safe, we then apply an appropriately concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution.
Chairside whitening can only be done in-person at your local dentist’s office, and the procedure takes between 60 and 90 minutes.
It’s important to remember that the teeth whitening process isn’t a one-time fix. Keeping your teeth white and your smile bright requires maintaining an effective dental hygiene routine.
2. Custom trays
Custom trays are required for “touch-ups” at home following the in-chair procedure. These custom trays are effective at maintaining the whiteness and “shine” that comes with the process.
Custom trays are an effective technique and produce good results.
They are constructed so that when inserted over the teeth with whitening gel, the gel is kept in place: it is concentrated on the teeth and nowhere else.
This means that the gel can be of a high concentration (although not as high as the concentration of medicaments used during the in-chair process.)
3. Uncustomed trays
Uncustomed trays that are constructed to fit everybody usually don’t really fit anyone properly, and it is for this reason that lower concentration whitening gel must be used for these trays.
It tends to spill out and can be swallowed, leading to potential oesophageal issues. This is usually why these sorts of whitening solutions are often not as effective.
4. Whitening toothpaste
Now, we’re dental professionals. So, you know we take regular brushing and flossing seriously.
One option to make your brushing routine more effective is specialised whitening toothpaste.
Unlike normal toothpaste, it relies on special abrasives and chemicals that gently polish off teeth – unlike bleaching procedures, whitening toothpaste does not contain any peroxide.
Whitening toothpaste is a great tool for removing some surface level discolouration and for keeping your teeth clean following a procedure. However, it is often not strong enough to get results on its own.
Dental Care Group have sourced many “off-the-shelf” whitening kits, and these are affordable and quite innovative, and are quite exclusive to dentists as we can accurately determine patient suitability.
In some cases, your dentist might even ask you to come back once or twice for follow-up appointments to get the most out of your results!
Other cosmetic procedures from your Armadale dentist
Veneers and crowns
- There are some cases where discolouration and stains can’t be removed by a conventional teeth-whitening procedure
- In some cases, discolouration can affect your entire enamel
- In other cases, they can be a sign of problems within a tooth itself!
- Further, whitening cannot fix breakages, rotated or misaligned teeth, or worn teeth
- In cases like these, veneers or crowns may be fitted to your pearly whites
- Veneers and crowns don’t just brighten your smile: they can hide discolouration by covering up chips, cracks, and worn-out teeth
Restorative procedures and implants
At Dental Care Group, we believe that every tooth lost is a tragedy. Needless to say, we try our utmost to help you keep all of your teeth healthy and sparkling clean!
Sometimes however, despite our best efforts things just don’t work out. Sometimes, a tooth is simply beyond saving.
While the loss of a tooth is certainly something to be avoided, that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to a beautiful smile. Your local dentist has access to a range of procedures that can get you your smile back in the event of a lost tooth.
Restorative procedures such as tooth repair can be very effective in restoring the appearance of a damaged tooth. And in the event of a tooth that’s completely lost, dental implants are a hi-tech option that can replace damaged teeth and give you your dazzling smile back!
Transparent enamel? Enamel damage
There’s a reason we call them your pearly whites – they should be white, not see-through!
Sometimes however, your teeth can become damaged, with the opaque white layer being eaten away over time. All of a sudden, the yellow-coloured dentines inside your teeth become visible through the outside enamel layer.
In most cases, transparent enamel is the result of wear and tear. Seniors are especially susceptible to enamel issues – your teeth put up with a lot of abuse every day, and when you multiply that by 70, 80 or 90 years…
Fortunately, your dentist can diagnose and treat transparent enamel. Your dentist might attach veneers. Not only do veneers give your teeth their white shine back, but they can also strengthen weak or damaged teeth too!
Show off your beautiful smile! Teeth whitening in Armadale from Dental Care Group
Discoloured teeth can have a real impact on your self-esteem, where taking photos becomes a chore, and you’d rather hide your smile with a closed mouth.
If you’re not happy with your smile, hopefully this has helped shed some light on why your teeth aren’t as white as they once were… as well as what you can do to get your shiny white teeth back!
At Dental Care Group, we know how important a dazzling white smile can be for your confidence. We offer a range of teeth whitening and other cosmetic procedures that will restore your smile – and your confidence!
Book an appointment online here and if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to give our team a call on (03) 9509 1500.
