Do you have one or more stained teeth? Are you looking for a confidence boost? Dr. Kevin Sivaneri and Dr. Ashley Whetsell provide teeth whitening treatments in Nashville, TN at 615 Smile Design.
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental treatment that can brighten your tooth enamel up to 8 shades in one visit. Whitening can encourage patients to maintain their results by practicing good oral hygiene and regular professional care.
If you’ve got tea and coffee stains, or your discolored teeth from damage, we can help. Our caring dental team will work with you to figure out the perfect way to get your smile looking bright and white.
What Causes Tooth Stains?
You may have stained, yellowed, and discolored teeth for a variety of reasons. The most common are stains from foods, tobacco, injuries, medication, and aging.
Foods and Drinks
Drinking too much coffee, tea, and wine can quickly stain your teeth. Some foods like berries and tomato sauce can also discolor teeth over time. Skipping regular professional dental cleanings lets these stains set in because you can’t remove them at home.
Poor oral hygiene also worsens staining. Stains can stay on your teeth if you don’t brush thoroughly for at least two minutes, and at least twice a day. Use whitening toothpaste and fluoride mouthwash to help prevent stains from setting in.
Tobacco Products
Smoking cigarettes, vaping, and using tobacco can yellow your tooth enamel. Tobacco contains nicotine, a substance that not only yellows the enamel but also causes bad breath. Even if you occasionally use tobacco products, your teeth will stain over time. We recommend that you quit smoking before you get teeth whitening to keep your teeth bright.
Dental Injuries
If you see your tooth looking grey or dark after it gets chipped or broken, don’t worry. It’s essentially the blood vessels inside the tooth getting affected. The tooth can turn grey or dark if the blood vessels burst.
Whether you fell, got into an accident, or had a sports injury, any of these can cause your tooth to change color. If you see a dark spot on your tooth after an injury, just give us a call and we can take care of it.
Medication
Certain medicines might cause your teeth to become darker. We’ll need to check what medications you’re taking and any health issues you have before deciding if whitening is a good idea for you. If not, we can suggest other options like veneers or bonding to improve your smile. Feel free to ask us any questions about this during your appointment.
Aging
As you get older, your teeth can start to look darker or duller. Over time, the outer layer of your teeth wears down. This happens naturally as you chew, brush, and go through life. Underneath the enamel is a layer called dentin, which is darker and gives teeth a yellowish tint when it begins to show through.
On top of that, years of exposure to staining foods and drinks, along with habits like smoking, can add to the discoloration. Changes in your gums as you age can also make your teeth appear longer or uneven. If you’ve had dental work, like fillings or crowns, they can also age and start to look different. Regular dental checkups, cleanings, whitening treatments, and restorations can keep your smile looking bright and youthful.
Professional vs. Store-Bought Whitening Products
Over-the-counter whitening products like strips, gels, or pens don’t work too well. They often contain lower amounts of the stuff that gets rid of tooth stains. Plus, if you don’t apply these products evenly, you might not see good results. And even if you do get some improvement, it probably won’t stick around for long.
Professional teeth whitening in our Nashville, TN office uses higher levels of active ingredients like hydrogen peroxide. An even application helps the ingredients penetrate the enamel and lift tooth stains.
These in-office treatments are also much safer and more effective. Our dentist will keep an eye on you while whitening your teeth to make sure your gums and teeth stay safe. This can help avoid issues like irritated gums or damaged enamel, which can happen if you use whitening products incorrectly.
Our treatments, whether done in the office or at home, can prevent tooth and gum sensitivity. We tailor our professional whitening treatments to meet your specific needs. The dentist will evaluate your teeth and decide on the best treatment plan to give you the results you want. This individualized approach ensures you get the best results possible.
Beyond just making your smile look better, professional whitening treatments can also benefit your oral health. Whiter teeth may motivate you to take better care of your teeth. A brighter smile can also boost your confidence and make you more likely to smile. This can have a positive impact on your mental and emotional well-being.
Teeth Whitening in Nashville, TN
Our office provides a variety of whitening treatments. We offer Opalescence Go prefilled whitening trays, customized whitening trays, and KöR Teeth Whitening.
Opalescence GO™
We provide a convenient way to whiten your teeth with the whitening kit from Opalescence Go™. This kit comes with an inner and outer tray. You will bite firmly and suck on the innermost tray, then remove the colored outer tray. The pre-filled whitening tray will conform to your teeth.
You will wear the trays for one to two weeks. We will recommend how long you wear the trays each day depending on the type of whitening gel you choose. You will wear the trays for 30 to 60 minutes a day if the whitening gel contains 10% hydrogen peroxide. If you choose the gel with 15% hydrogen peroxide, you will wear the trays 15 to 20 minutes each day.
Custom Whitening Trays
For a more custom treatment, we can create take-home whitening trays. We take digital impressions to create trays that match the natural contours of your mouth. Custom trays are a simpler treatment because they deliver effective whitening ingredients to each tooth. Like other take-home treatments, we will tell you how long to wear the trays each day.
KöR Teeth Whitening
KöR teeth whitening uses in-office and take-home treatment for the best results. The take-home KöR-Seal™ trays seal out saliva. These trays offer more effective treatment because saliva can destroy the peroxide in the whitening gel. We will also instruct you on how long to wear the trays for the most effective treatment.
In our office, we will begin whitening sessions with KöR by isolating the teeth and applying a desensitizing gel. Then, we apply the whitening gel to each tooth. After 20 minutes, we remove the gel and repeat the process.
KöR offers more lengthy treatment than other options. However, its sealed design and powerful active ingredients can make it an effective option for many patients. This treatment can lift tough tooth stains and provide lasting results.
How To Keep Teeth Bright After Teeth Whitening
We recommend you continue brushing and flossing daily to maintain your whitening results. When you brush, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and avoid toothpaste with abrasive ingredients.
Avoid staining beverages like coffee, soda, or tea. If you drink these beverages, you can use a straw to prevent tooth stains. However, you should drink water to help wash away leftover debris on your teeth.
Schedule routine cleanings every six months. During these cleanings, we will remove plaque and tartar. Plaque and tartar discolors teeth and leads to tooth and gum infections. You can also receive touch-ups every six months. Getting treatment with KöR means that your results will last longer, so you might not need another treatment for a few years.
Alternatives to Professional Teeth Whitening
We recommend restorative and cosmetic treatment for extremely sensitive teeth or intrinsic stains. Severe tooth sensitivity can prevent you from receiving teeth whitening treatment because you can experience pain and discomfort.
Tooth stains are either extrinsic or intrinsic. Extrinsic tooth stains happen on the enamel’s surface, or outer layer. We can remove stains from foods, drinks, and tobacco with whitening treatment.
Intrinsic stains occur within the tooth. Staining particles can build beneath the tooth’s outer layer, leading to deep stains. We cannot lift these stains with a teeth whitening treatment.
However, we offer common cosmetic and restorative treatments that can cover and brighten these tooth stains:
- Dental Veneers: Veneers are shell-like treatments that cover the front teeth. We will recommend porcelain veneers if you have discolored teeth in your smile zone. Veneers can cover one or more front teeth. A full set uses eight veneers to cover all your front teeth.
- Tooth Bonding: Dental bonding uses tooth-colored resin materials to cover a single stained teeth. Bonding treatment can also address chips, cracks, and other dental injuries that discolor teeth. Unlike veneers, bonding is a more affordable option.
- Dental Crown: Dental crowns are caps that fully cover and protect teeth. They typically cover worn or damaged teeth. However, a tooth crown can address damaged and discolored teeth at the same time.
Our office will work with you during a consultation to decide which treatment is best for you. We will find the best treatment to achieve your cosmetic goals while staying within your budget.
Brighten Your Smile Today
Do you want a professional teeth whitening treatment in Nashville, TN? Contact 615 Smile Design Studio at (615) 637-2878. You can also schedule a dental appointment with us on our website.
Please let us know if you have questions about your whitening options. We will be happy to help.