Lighthouse Family Dentistry
37 Old Solomons Island Road
Suite #1
Annapolis, MD 21401
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Smile Whitening
Smile whitening is now the most popular cosmetic dental procedure for smile enhancement. Smile whitening is also the most convenient, comfortable and quick way to improve your smile. Other cosmetic dental procedures include porcelain veneers, porcelain crowns, and when missing teeth are involved, bridge or implants.
These procedures involve multiple appointments and irreversibly reshaping the teeth. Implants involve surgery and bridges; crowns and veneers involve impressions and temporary restorations worn until the permanent prostheses come back from the lab.
These cosmetic dental procedures are often necessary and the only treatment for certain situations, and smile whitening would not be appropriate. The good news is that the vast majority of people do not require these complex and costly cosmetic procedures.
Smile whitening, formerly called teeth bleaching, is available to almost everyone who desires a brighter, whiter smile. There are several bleaching techniques, materials and methods to whiten teeth that can give you that special whiter sparkle to your smile.
Whitening can be done professionally in the dental office using high-tech light acceleration that can produce dramatic long-lasting results in only an hour. The one-hour, in-office smile whitening is comfortable, convenient, easy and very effective.
Whitening can also be done at home with the use of soft plastic bleaching trays into in which the whitening gel material is placed and worn several hours a day for two or more weeks depending on the results obtained. Home bleaching gets the best results if done under the professional supervision of your dentist who will make custom-fitted bleaching trays and provide professional quality bleaching gel.
Over-the-counter home bleaching products, while cheaper, are not as good or effective as the dental office professional quality home bleaching products.
Whitening strips and paint-on whitening products are the least expensive smile whitening technique and also the least effective unless used over a long period of time. These whitening strips and paint-on whiteners are very satisfactory to maximize, enhance, extend and prolong the whitening achieved with the one-hour or take-home tray systems. They are great to give a boost to your previous whitening treatment after several months have gone by or to give a boost to your smile just before a special event like a wedding or birthday.
Now a great smile is available virtually on demand in about an hour. Smile whitening is safe, quick and comfortable. The results are dramatic and long lasting. Everyone will notice that new, whiter, brighter smile.
