Teeth Whitening

 Teeth Whitening At Manoa Dental In Oahu, Honolulu, Hawaii 

Teeth Whitening 

Teeth whitening (or bleaching) is a simple, non-invasive dental treatment used to change the color of natural tooth enamel and is an ideal way to enhance the beauty of your smile. It's important to note that there are many whitening services out there and to check that it's done by a dentist.  Here at Manoa Dental, we have three types of whitening. Home whitening where you can do it at your own pace and will normally take 3 days to 2 weeks, In- office whitening which will take 1 visit. Powerwhitening such as KOR which is a combination of home and in office. This is the strongest and will give you that power whiten result.  

Because having whiter teeth has now become the number one aesthetic concern of most patients, there are a number of ways to whiten teeth.  The most popular method is using a home teeth whitening system that will whiten teeth dramatically.  Since teeth whitening only works on natural tooth enamel, it is important to evaluate a need for replacement of any old fillings, crowns, etc.  Replacement of any restorations will be done after bleaching so they will match the newly bleached teeth.

Here we not only whitened our patient's teeth, but we also replaced her two discolored crowns giving her a very beautiful and natural result. Note how the crowns blend in seamlessly into her existing dentition that you can't tell which teeth are the crowns!

Teeth whitening is not permanent.  A touch-up maybe needed between a few months to several years, depending on if you smoke, drink coffee, tea, or wine.

Reasons for teeth whitening:

  • Fluorosis (excessive fluoridation during tooth development).
  • Normal wear of outer tooth layer.
  • Stained teeth due to medications (tetracycline, etc.).
  • Yellow, brown stained teeth.

What does teeth whitening involve?

Teeth whitening usually requires two visits.  At the first appointment, impressions (molds) will be made of your teeth to fabricate custom, clear plastic trays.

At your second appointment, you will try on the trays for proper fit, and adjustments will be made if necessary.  The trays are worn with special whitening solutions either twice a day for 30 minutes or overnight for a couple of weeks depending on the degree of staining and desired level of whitening.  It is normal to experience tooth sensitivity during the time that you are whitening your teeth, but it will subside shortly after you have stopped whitening without long-term damage.

You will receive care instructions for your teeth and trays, and be encouraged to visit your dentist regularly to help maintain a beautiful, healthy, white smile.

Take a look at our Teeth Whitening before and after photos by Dr. Keri Do, the leading cosmetic dentist in Hawaii!

 


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