There are three main types of tooth discolouration:
- Extrinsic – This occurs when the outer layer of the tooth is stained by smoking, certain foods or beverages such as coffee, soda and wine.
- Intrinsic – This discoloration is due to changes in the inner structure of the tooth (the dentin), which causes it to darken or become yellow.
- Age-related – This is a combination of extrinsic and intrinsic factors. As we age, our dentin will naturally yellow, while the enamel that covers our teeth gets thinner—allowing the dentin to show through. Foods, drinks and smoking can also stain our teeth over time.
Some extrinsic staining/ discoloration can be removed with a professional cleaning. If staining is permanent, you may want to look into cosmetic dental treatments like veneers or tooth whitening.
Tooth whitening options
At Affinity Dental Sherwood Park, we offer both take-home whitening and Zoom whitening.
If you opt for the take-home whitening treatment, we will make customized trays to fit over your teeth, which you then fill with whitening gel and wear for about one hour a day over a period of two to four weeks.
If you can’t use the trays from the take-home whitening system during the day and find them uncomfortable to sleep with, Zoom whitening in our office may be a good option.
The Zoom system uses similar chemistry to at-home whitening, but the whitening gel is activated with a powerful light in our office. Zoom whitening allows us to whiten patients’ teeth more quickly and better target specific teeth if needed.
Getting Zoom whitening
The Zoom whitening process can be broken down into these general steps:
1
After taking models of your teeth, we will fabricate custom whitening trays made of clear plastic.
2
We coat your gums with a protective plastic, and the trays are filled with whitening gel.
3
The gel-filled trays are placed in your mouth, and the light unit is positioned near your mouth and activated.
A typical session will require two or three reapplications of the whitening gel. The visit should last a total of two hours.
Contact Affinity Dental Sherwood Park today to discuss your tooth whitening options.