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Many factors can cause your teeth to darken or become stained over time. Some of these are controllable, such as staining caused by smoking or foods and beverages. Others are simply due to the natural effects of aging. However, <a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(’/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=http://www.drdell.com/cosmetic_whitening.html>teeth whitening</a> can quickly and easily restore your teeth to their original color.

Teeth Whitening Procedures

Many people who wish to reduce staining on their teeth turn to over the counter whitening products such as whitening toothpastes or paint-on gels. In the short-term, these can have some effect, but for truly long lasting, dramatic results, a cosmetic dentist is the best option.

Cosmetic dentists use several different methods of teeth whitening depending on the patient’s individual needs. These include:

Traditional in-office whitening Take-home whitening kits Laser whitening

In-office whitening makes use of a strong whitening agent—much stronger than that available from over the counter kits. Your gums are painted with a protective gel, then the whitening agent is applied to the teeth and left for a period of time, usually about twenty minutes. Then it is removed, and can be applied for one or two more additional sessions for best results.

Laser whitening uses a similar process, but the whitening agent is activated with a strong light. Laser whitening can lighten teeth as much as seven to ten shades in a single treatment. One whitening system that uses this technique is the BriteSmile™ system.

If the staining doesn’t respond as well as hoped to in-office sessions, the dentist might recommend an at-home whitening kit. The kit includes whitening gel as well as trays that fit over your teeth to apply the gel directly to the enamel. Generally the trays are left on for an hour or so at a time on a daily basis for a week or two. Stubborn staining often responds well to this treatment, even when in-office whitening doesn’t quite eliminate the discoloration.

If you live in the Beverly Hills area and would like more information about teeth whitening or the BriteSmile system, please visit the website of Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist, <a onClick=”javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview(’/outgoing/article_exit_link’);” href=http://www.drdell.com/>Dell Goodrick, DDS</a>.