If you’re not entirely happy with the way your teeth look, you’re not alone. Over the years, studies have found that more than half of Americans surveyed are unhappy with their smile and will make an effort to hide their teeth when taking pictures, eating, and laughing in public.
Even practicing good oral hygiene and eating a healthy diet aren’t always enough to keep your teeth stain-free and as white as possible. The aging process itself, which causes tooth enamel to become thinner over time, makes your teeth more vulnerable to staining and discoloration despite your best efforts. That’s where professional teeth whitening comes in.
At Haider Family Dentistry, Dr. Jeremy Haider and our team offer professional teeth whitening treatments and cosmetic dentistry services for the entire family at our office in Salem, Oregon.
Stains and whitening your teeth
They are two types of stains that affect your teeth: extrinsic and intrinsic tooth stains. Extrinsic stains attack the enamel layer of your teeth at the surface and are most commonly caused by eating acidic foods, drinking dark beverages like coffee, tea, and red wine, and using tobacco. Intrinsic dental stains affect the deeper dentin layer of the tooth under the enamel.
The type of whitening treatment that will work best for you depends on the source of your tooth stains. Dr. Haider and our team offer different professional teeth whitening solutions designed just for you.
If your teeth are stained from drinking coffee or red wine and you don’t have existing dental restorations like bonding or veneers on your front teeth, Dr. Haider recommends our in-office or at-home professional-strength whitening trays.
Professional whitening trays vs. over-the-counter options
While store-bought teeth whitening products can help, they aren’t strong enough to deliver the same results that professional teeth whitening can. Some over-the-counter options may even contain harsh or abrasive chemicals that can damage your teeth enamel over time.
The professional whitening trays we use are custom designed just for you from an impression of your teeth, so you get a perfect fit and the best results possible when the bleaching agent is applied.
The in-office and at-home teeth whitening trays available at Haider Family Dentistry both offer safe and professional-grade results. If you choose the at-home option, you’ll see a more gradual result by wearing the trays for about 30 minutes on your own schedule over the course of a few weeks.
If you have intrinsic tooth stains or existing restorations, whitening trays may not get you the results you want. In this case, Dr. Haider recommends a whitening alternative like porcelain veneers. Veneers cover the fronts of your teeth and can be customized to the shade of white you wish.
For more information about our professional teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry services that allow you to proudly share your smile, contact Haider Family Dentistry today to schedule an appointment.