Are you unhappy with the appearance of your smile thanks to discoloration and yellowing of the teeth? Fortunately, professional teeth whitening is available to help patients achieve a brighter, whiter smile in a short span of time. Something you may be wondering is how many sessions you require to achieve your smile goals. Everyone’s smile is unique, so this can vary. Here’s what you should know!
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Both over-the-counter and professional take-home whitening treatments rely on bleaching agents, like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to address discoloration. These ingredients undergo a chemical oxidation reaction when they interact with pigmented particles on the surfaces of the teeth. Tis breaks down the darker molecules so that they are smaller and less concentrated, ultimately lightening the stain.
How Do Professional Take-Home Kits Differ from Over-the-Counter Products?
Over-the-counter products work similarly to professional-grade kits. However, they are at a lower concentration, diluting the bleaching agent. This means that over-the-counter kits don’t usually provide the dramatic results that patients are hoping for. Over-the-counter kits also rely on one-size-fits-all trays, so it is more likely that the bleaching agent will make contact with the gum tissue, resulting in irritation.
Professional-grade whitening kits contain custom-fitted whitening trays and an ultra-concentrated bleaching gel. Your dentist will also examine your smile beforehand to ensure that you don’t have any existing oral health issues that could be aggravated by the whitening agents.
How Many Teeth Whitening Sessions Do You Need?
Most patients who are using a take-home whitening kit from their dentist begin seeing changes within a week of using the product. If your teeth were only slightly yellowed at the start, you will likely only need a single treatment. However, if you have more severe discoloration, you may want repeat treatments to achieve your goals. During your consultation with your dentist, you can discuss your concerns and put together a plan to meet your needs as effectively as possible.
If you are interested in whitening your smile, schedule a consultation with your dentist. This way, you can work towards brighter pearly whites quickly and safely!
About the Practice
At Capron Park Dental, we have a team of skilled dentists serving patients in the Attleboro community. With their combined experience and expertise, patients can get pretty much anything they need under one roof. To learn more about teeth whitening or to schedule a consultation, visit our website or call (508) 222-5950.