Teeth Whitening Gel As An Alternative To Dental Veneers

Over the years, people have become more and more preoccupied with their appearance. At a professional level, it seems reasonable to want to look your best when interacting with prospective clients as it gives you a nice boost of self-confidence. On a personal note, this boost may also allow you navigate your relationships better. The sheer number of cosmetic procedures available today is mind boggling. On the less extreme end of the spectrum, you have things like laser hair removal and botox which can provide some temporary enhancement in appearance. For every person that seeks these treatments, you have others who opt for liposuction or various form of reconstructive cosmetic surgery. Regardless, there is clear evidence that this industry continues to grow at an alarming rate, consistent with the skyrocketing demand for that “perfect,” Hollywood cultivated look, which is one of the main reasons people whiten their teeth. A feature that people often complain of disliking is their smile. Even subtle imperfections like a slight gap between the two front teeth or slightly yellowed teeth seem to incite this same distaste. While cosmetic dentistry has a deeply-rooted history, it wasn’t until a few decades ago that the industry really began to take off. Today, cosmetic dentistry patients have a wide array of procedures to choose from such as porcelain veneers and custom teeth bleaching trays- all in the name of achieving that flawless smile.

Among all the various procedures available, tooth whitening has warranted the most inquiry among patients. Using special bleaching agents, most cosmetic dentists have been able to successfully achieve several shades of whitening. The allure of the procedure has not only been facilitated by its attractive pricing point (which typically starts at a few hundred dollars for a single treatment), but also by its painless execution. During the procedure, the patient’s gums are carefully treated with a special protective substance to prevent burns from the bleaching agent, which is highly-concentrated to yield the most drastic results. A special tray with the hydrogen or carbamide peroxide agent is then prepared and applied to the teeth. Once fitted, it may be exposed to an LED or halogen light as to hasten the reaction speed. The cosmetic dentist will cycle through two or more trays for optimal whitening effect. The average teeth whitening gel results can be reasonably expected to last at least a year, that is, with proper maintenance. If your food preferences are initially to blame for the discoloration, an uptake in your consumption of such foods will illicit a rebound response. Your cosmetic dentist may provide an at-home whitening kit to be used to prevent any rebound in discoloration, or you may be asked to return to the office for a follow up treatment using a more potent bleaching agent.

Despite the fact that tooth whitening is a well rounded treatment, some patients have sought to obtain the same results with dental veneers. Veneers were introduced to the dental industry in the 1980s and it wasn’t until an adequate bonding mechanism was discovered that they went into wide-spread use. Veneers are unique in that they are a type of “umbrella” procedure. They can simultaneously treat a number of deformities, including chips, gaps, yellowing, overcrowding, so and so forth in one swoop. Dental veneers are designed to encase the visible portion of the tooth as to give it a flawless appearance. Fabricated of millimeter-thin porcelain, the veneers are bonded to teeth after they have been filed down to the appropriate size. The tooth enamel that is removed during this step often makes it impossible for patients to restore their teeth to their original state. Another dental restoration will need to be outfitted on the teeth as to prevent decay before the veneers can be removed. The introduction of a Lumineers porcelain veneers has since added an element of reversibility to the procedure. Lumineers are manufactured with a reinforced type of porcelain, allowing for thinner fabrication and thus (in many circumstances) no removal of existing tooth enamel. Only certain cosmetic dentists offer this service to patients, so some research will be required to find a local provider.

Once the teeth are prepared and an order is sent to the dental laboratory, the patient returns for their second appointment during which the veneers are actually installed. The end result is a stainless, pearly white smile that can be enjoyed for ten years or more. Relatively speaking, the cost of veneers is very steep. $1,000 is the minimum cost per tooth to be realistically expected, with many cosmetic practices charging much more.

If you’re on the edge about which treatment to pursue, consider your circumstances carefully. In most cases, veneers are far too drastic unless existing imperfections need to be addressed. It makes little sense to be outfitted with veneers for the whitening effect alone, unless you suffer from severe discoloration. At $500 per whitening session, two times a year (consistent with severe cases of discoloration), the final bill over ten years may closely match that for a set of veneers. Tooth whitening is by far the safer procedure to choose as it doesn’t require an immense amount of experience to successfully execute, especially if you’re using teeth whitening strips at home, whereas dental veneers require very close attention to detail. A bad whitening job may result in some tooth sensitivity, while a botched installation of veneers can easily result in thousands worth of repair work if they fall off (veneers need to be replaced in sets as color matching is difficult to achieve) and even extensive dental decay. Explore your options carefully and don’t be scared to talk to your general dentist about which route to take.

Comparing Teeth Whitening Gel Vs. Teeth Whitening Strips


A question that is often asked by uncertain people who are in the developmental stages of their quest for whiter teeth is whether a standard tooth whitening gel works better than teeth whitening strips. Given the fact that there is so much stretched and misplaced information on the subject out there, coupled with the fact that so many people witness different ads and commercials for different products each day, it is a very valid question.

For the most part, products like Crest whitening strips will give the users positive results, but not to the extent of a thorough whitening gel which is used in custom tooth bleaching trays. For instance, the typical Crest strips user should be someone who doesn’t have extensive staining and is only looking to maintain their whiteness of their tooth, or simply raise it a few levels at the most.

For someone who has badly stained yellow teeth and is looking for a dramatic change, perhaps a very thorough dose of carbamide peroxide whitening gel is the answer. The more damaged or stained your teeth are, the better an idea it is to visit a professional and seek their assistance, or at the very least you should seek their advice. It is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to teeth whitening as every situation will call for a very different and specific procedure to remedy or improve the problem.

In the end, it all depends on whether or not you need extensive whitening performed on your tooth, or if you already have fairly white teeth and are looking to capitalize on a product that can make them a bit whiter after a few weeks of using it. If your problem is the former, you should look into teeth whitening gel. If the former is more like your situation being described, you should definitely look into teeth whitening strips as they can provide you with a very solid result. The latter is also much cheaper as well.

How Long Should You Leave On Teeth Whitening Gel?


Yet another extremely common question with regard to teeth whitening gel is how long you’re supposed to leave the gel on your teeth while it is whitening the shade.  This is an important question to make sure you understand the answer to because you can actually damage the teeth if you wind up leaving the gel on for far too long.  If you go over the time limit that you are allowed to wear your particular gel for you run the risk of wearing away your enamel and actually weakening your tooth.  And on the flip side, if you don’t wear your gel for a long enough time, you also run the risk of not a acquiring the desired results within a reasonable time frame, leaving you frustrated with the product and stuck with a less than satisfactory set of teeth.The total duration that you should keep the gel on your teeth for is entirely dependent on the concentration of the gel you’re using.  Certain types of gel contain high concentration levels of carbamide peroxide and if your teeth are exposed to this gel for too long of a period of time then the results can be harmful.  It is important to note that although the instructions might say a specific time to leave the applicant on your teeth, it is not uncommon for people to remove the substance before their time is up do to increased teeth sensitivity bothering them.

If you are unsure about how long to leave your gel on then you should probably read the instructions on the package your whitening agent came in.  If there aren’t any instructions which properly address this issue then you should find a phone number or web site for the brand you are using and pose the question to their personnel as they will have the answers you need.  If you picked up your gel on a prescription from your dentist or dental assistant and it is best to call their office and ask them.

When it comes to dealing with your teeth, which are very precious and sensitive thing, it is best to err on the side of caution in order to prevent accidental a damaging or negatively affecting your teeth.  If you have any questions, you should immediately contact a professional in order to seek out the best answers possible.

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