We are your Duluth, Minnesota center for whiter teeth!
Have you tried over-the-counter teeth whitening products and become discouraged, thinking you could never get whiter teeth? Don't be. The professional whitening systems we provide at Miller Hill Dental can give you dramatically whiter teeth.
Effective teeth bleaching requires the use of powerful oxidizing agents that actually soak into your teeth. Before using them, you need to have a dental examination and then be fitted for a custom tray that will keep the bleaching agent on your teeth, not allow it to be diluted by your saliva, and that will keep it off sensitive areas. In addition, it needs to be properly supervised so that it will be both maximally effective and safe.
Who Is a Candidate for
Teeth
Whitening?
If you are happy with the shape and size of your teeth but unhappy with the color, you could be a candidate.
Our teeth are continually absorbing stains from our environment. Most people are aware that tobacco, coffee, tea, and cola drinks gradually turn your teeth darker over the years. But even other substances like blueberries, other fruits, wine, and chocolate are also absorbed by your teeth. These stains respond quite readily to professional teeth whitening treatments.
If you have fillings in your front teeth that show when you smile, those fillings will need to be replaced or resurfaced after teeth whitening, to match your new color. The same is true for crowns. Dental work does not whiten with this treatment.
If you have leaky fillings, open cavities, or sensitive areas on your teeth, those issues need to be addressed before treatment.
Tetracycline stain is not very susceptible to teeth whitening. However, almost every other kind of stain is.
The Teeth Whitening
Procedure
We start with an examination to make sure you have none of the issues mentioned above. Cavities need to be filled and leaky or broken fillings need to be
replaced before beginning, or the bleaching gel will irritate your teeth.
A thorough cleaning is also a good idea before beginning.
Then we take impressions of your teeth, from which we make plaster models. On the model, we form a thin, flexible plastic tray that is tightly adapted to your teeth. The tray is trimmed so that it doesn't impinge on your gums. If you have sensitive areas of your teeth, the tray is adapted to avoid those areas.
Then you simply place a few drops of the bleaching gel in the tray and wear it. While nighttime is a convenient time to wear it, many people wear the tray during the day. It is clear and is so thin that it isn't really noticeable.
The amount of time you wear the tray and the time of day you wear it varies with particular whitening gel you are given. We will discuss that with you and will tailor the procedure to your lifestyle and preferences.
| Here is a photograph of the tooth whitening trays. |
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You simply wear the tray and use the whitening system for as long as you want, until your teeth are the whiteness you desire. If you need refills, please contact our office and we can help you.
Then, once you have your bright, sparkling teeth, simply keep your trays. Once every year or two, do a brief touch-up treatment to remove stains that have accumulated since your last treatment, and you can have bright white teeth for the rest of your life!
