Why do so many patients who are unhappy with their smiles look for dental whitening procedures? The simple answer is that there are a number of benefits:

(source)Stained, yellow, dingy and unattractive teeth are noticeable. Tooth appearance can be a detriment to your success. Anyone with maligned or discolored teeth can benefit from cosmetic dentistry.

While that’s an extremely blunt way of putting it - talking of stained and unattractive teeth and saying that they won’t help you to succeed - it’s not entirely untrue. When you’re uncomfortable with your smile, when you are concerned about the stains on your teeth, it’s not so much that others will hold you back - it’s that a lack of self confidence will keep you from going after what you want.

Whitening is something that you can do on your own (at least to some extent), but more lasting results are going to come from seeing a professional and letting your dentist take control.

Why settle for a smile that’s not quite what you want it to be? Why let yourself be held back? With the wide variety of whitening procedures available, it’s easy to make changes and get ahead.

These days, it seems that whitening is among the most common dental procedures - it’s something that patients look at both when they are discussing their options with their dentist and while they are visiting their local pharmacies thanks to all of the over the counter products that are available.

The problem is - and this is something that some people aren’t aware of - that it is possible to go overboard with whitening, particularly when you go about doing it all on your own.

For example, many of the over the counter bleaching kits can cause problems in a number of ways, most notably, bleach can burn sensitive gum tissue. Similarly, if you have weakened enamel or other issues, there can be problems such as increased hot and cold sensitivity. While some of these issues come from overusing or (in some cases) abusing the over the counter products, they are a cause for concern.

On the other hand, when you work with your dentist to discuss your whitening options, you’re likely to discover that the process is not only safer but also more effective than the over the counter, do it yourself products.

When it comes right down to it, there are some things that can be cause for concern, but when you work with your dentist, many of the elements that make you nervous can be quickly dismissed.

Your smile says a lot about you, and when you recognize that yours just isn’t looking as bright or healthy as it once did, it makes sense that you’re going to want to do something about it. In most cases, that’s going to mean looking into whitening and other procedures that can bring their smile back to what it once was:

(source)It’s no wonder, then, that people are flocking to dentists’ offices in searching of brighter pearly whites. Advancements in cosmetic dentistry have made it possible for people to brighten their teeth by several shades, removing stains left by coffee, tea, colas, wine, smoking and even natural discoloration that comes with age.

Treatments and costs vary, so it’s important to do your homework and have a discussion with your dentist about whether whitening — and in what form — is right for you.

For some, whitening will be best done with procedures like Zoom that are done within the dentist’s office; for others, a take-home process - custom molded trays and bleaching agents - is the recommendation that their dentist is going to give. That’s why it is so essential for patients who are looking into whitening to talk with their dentist about the options that they have.

Simply put: different patients have different needs. Those who have just had braces removed, for example, are going to have different needs for whitening and brightening their smiles than someone who is looking to have their smiles whitened after they’ve quit smoking after having the habit for a number of years. That’s why talking with your dentist is essential: he or she can look at your situation and recommend the best procedure for helping you to reach your goals.

Some people will tell you that, rather than buying an over the counter whitening product to make your pearly whites a bit more white you should talk with your dentist.

For example, I’ve seen suggestions like this:

A dentist can professionally clean and polish your teeth in the office, which takes approximately 30 minutes or more if excessive cleaning is required. During the visit, a patient may also ask the dentist about his/her own recommendation for a teeth whitening product. Many professionals recommend a gel product, which is used with a custom mold of the patient’s teeth. The dentist can typically create a mold of the patient’s mouth in the office and provide the take-home kit the same day.

While it’s true that your dentist can create whitening options that you can use at home that will be safer and more effective than those that you find in stores, you just might be surprised by what your dentist has in mind that will help you to get the effects you are looking for.

With laser whitening and professional bleaching and polishing you’ll find that there are a number of different options that your dentist can recommend - some of which will be more right than others for your situation.

After a smoking ban was enacted in the United Kingdom, it seems that many former smokers turned to having their teeth whitened. According to one article:

England introduced a ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, and other businesses. It would seem this smoking ban has been good for dentists. The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry reports a 12% increase in in cosmetic procedures such as tooth bleaching and veneers. Said president Christopher Orr: “It appears people are smoking less now due to the ban, so it is not a surprise that many would like an improved smile to go with their better health.”

Whitening is a great way of removing the stains on a patient’s teeth - whether they come from smoking or even from beverages like tea, coffee and red wine. While whitening may be a bit less effective for those who are continuing to smoke - for those who have given up the habit and moved on from it, whitening is key - getting rid of the stain can help them to feel even better about their appearance and the choice to quit.

Of course, being able to take advantage of a whiter smile isn’t the only dental benefit to not smoking - it also reduces the risk of oral cancers and other issues like bad breath.

Maybe it’s the Extreme Makeover effect: more and more people are looking at cosmetic dentistry to improve their looks. Specifically, they are looking into options for whitening their teeth.

While the sale of over the counter whitening products has been on the rise, dentists have also seen an increase in the number of patients who are coming into the office for whitening procedures.

Overall, this is far from a bad thing. While many whitening procedures do focus just on brightening the smile, many who come in for them are also taking better care of their health - they’ve quit smoking, for example, and want to get rid of the stains on their teeth.

Similarly, those who are looking for whiter, brighter smiles are also looking into veneers and other options that can also be used to correct cracks in the enamel of the teeth - strengthening them overall.

But what really makes a difference is that, after whitening procedures, patients make a commitment to maintaining their smiles - and that leads to better brushing and flossing habits and overall better dental health.

Cosmetic dentistry isn’t all about looking at your smile in the mirror and thinking that you’d love to have a whiter brighter smile - but whitening is a big part of it. After all, from coffee to wine, from smoking to antibiotics, there are countless ways to discolor your smile.

Whitening, of course, can definitely help to improve the appearance of your smile. That’s why it’s a part of cosmetic dentistry. Other elements, however, not only improve your appearance but also serve to repair damaged teeth and to even out your bite.

For example, if a tooth is badly decayed, a crown can serve to fill the space and blend in naturally. Veneers can be used when there has been a great deal of shifting in your teeth to fill the gaps; not only does that look better, but it helps your teeth to fit together more naturally - and that makes eating and chewing easier (contributing to your overall health).

Your appearance is important to you; we understand that and it’s why we offer a number of cosmetic procedures. But your health is more important to us - and that’s why we encourage preventative and restorative care as well.

Plenty of people want to have a whiter smile, but not everyone thinks that going to a dentist for whitening is necessary. To some extent, it’s not - there are plenty of products that you can buy even in the racks of gum and candy at the grocery store checkout aisle that promise to brighten your smile.

But here’s the thing: when you go to your dentist’s office for a whitening procedure, you are guaranteed to get better results. Here’s why:

• When you see your dentist, he or she can talk to you about the results that you’re looking for and can compare the current color of your teeth with where you want them to be. Then your dentist can talk with you about the best way to achieve those results.
• When you see your dentist, surface stains and tartar are removed before the whitening procedure - meaning you’re not just going to be bleaching what’s on your teeth.
• When you go to your dentist to get a whiter smile, you’ll get less bleaching product on your gums. Some bleaching agents can damage your gum tissue over time and that can create bigger problems down the line.
• The whitening agents used in your dentist’s office are more concentrated than those that you can buy in stores - in other words, the tools your dentist will use are more effective for whitening your smile.

Going to the dentist when you’re looking to whiten your smile is - simply put - safer and more effective than using over the counter products.

If you watch TV, there’s a chance that your idea of whitening comes from commercials where women talk about not being able to go out when they want to - when a friend calls at the last minute - because they’ve just applied whitening gel at home. Even the other products that are on the market all have advantages and disadvantages and the problem is that this gives people a sense that the whole process is just way too much effort.

The reality though is that there’s a professional whitening process - called Zoom - that really is as simple as one, two, three. Quite literally - it’s a three step process.

1. A protective gel will be applied to your gums so that the whitening process only affects your teeth.
2. A special gel is applied in sections and then it is enhanced with a metal halide light.
3. The get is removed.

Those three steps are really all there is to it (though, to be up front about it, the process is done in three stages), and in the end, you’ll be thrilled with the results. Oh yeah, and you won’t have to tell your friends you can’t join them for that last minute get together.

Tooth whitening is everywhere and it doesn’t seem like something that’s just going to go away any time soon. Think about it: there are whitening mouth washes, white strips and even chewing gums that are meant to give you that whiter, brighter, younger looking smile. Whether you consider this a great thing because you’ve always wanted to capture the look (or you’re a smoker or a coffee drinker and it shows when you smile) or you think it’s a gimmick, it’s impossible to deny that it exists.

Unfortunately, what many people find is that the whitening products that are out there just flat out don’t give them the promised results or what they are looking for.

That’s why so many people ultimately make the choice to look into professional whitening. When you talk with your dentist about what you’re looking for from the process, when you’re able to talk about your concerns and ask any questions that you have.

The difference between professional whitening and all of those over the counter products is simple: when you actually talk with your dentist, you’ll know what you’re going to get - professional results. Isn’t that better than relying on the customer service people when you call the number on a box or bottle?