Professional teeth whitening treatments sometimes involve using a special light to speed up the process. Most people will need teeth whitening treatments at some point in their lives as it is normal for stains and discoloration to build up on teeth surfaces over the years.
Yellow teeth are a natural part of the aging process, and lifestyle choices like smoking and drinking can speed that up. Many of the foods and beverages we consume also have powerful coloring agents that can leave teeth discolored and stained.
There are many ways to whiten teeth nowadays, but professional teeth whitening treatments performed by dentists are the way to go. It is often the most expensive option, but it also gets patients the best results. Teeth whitening treatments performed by dentists significantly improve the color of a person's teeth after a 90-minute session. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry states that a single whitening session can improve the color of teeth by up to eight shades per session.
Teeth whitening treatments work by applying a bleaching agent to the patient's teeth. The most commonly used whitening agents are hydrogen carbamide and hydrogen peroxide. These agents seep past teeth enamel into the dentin. It oxidizes stains away and it is an effective way to get rid of most types of stains besides those caused by overexposure to fluoride, certain antibiotics or tooth decay.
Blue light can be used to speed up the reaction the bleaching agent has with stains to lift them away. LEDs are typically used, but ultraviolet light can be used as well. The former is preferred due to health concerns surrounding UV light since it can lead to cell mutations.
A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a device that emits visible light when fed an electrical current. It usually only emits one color of light and it can be any of the lights on the visible light scale from red to violet. LEDs release intense light that generates little heat. It does not take much electricity to power up an LED and they are efficient compared to other light sources.
The light emitted from the LED does nothing to the patient's teeth. It cannot be used to improve the color of a person's teeth on its own. What it does is act as a catalyst that speeds up the reaction of the hydrogen peroxide/carbamide molecules and stains on the patient's teeth.
These whitening agents work slowly on their own, which is why standard whitening treatments can take up to 90 minutes. Using a light can shorten the time to whiten the patient's teeth to around half an hour to an hour.
Professional teeth whitening treatments with a light cut down the time you have to spend at the dentist's clinic. Call or visit our Dallas clinic to learn more about how we can improve the color of your teeth.
Request an appointment here: https://www.highlandsdentaldallas.com or call Highlands Family Dentistry at (214) 491-5362 for an appointment in our Dallas office.
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