How Long Does It Take To Bleach Teeth?

Everyone wants to have attractive white teeth. But what many people don’t know is teeth discoloration can occur even among patients with strict dental cleaning habits. Since regularly brushing your teeth does not guarantee white teeth, you have to turn to your dentist for help. No need to worry; whitening teeth is easy and won’t take long. There are currently several ways you can whiten your teeth. The best way to whiten your teeth in Longmont is to bleach them in a dental office. This article will explain the procedure and benefits of teeth whitening and, most importantly, the time it takes to recover.

What Is Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is a popular dental procedure that can be carried out in both young and old patients. The procedure is known for its cosmetic benefits, as it lightens the shade of teeth and removes any discolorations and stains that make a patient’s smile less attractive. There are various ways the procedure can be done, but for the best results, we recommend internal teeth whitening, which is done at a dental office by a professional.

What Is Internal Teeth Whitening?

As we had said earlier, there are several teeth bleaching procedures you can undergo to whiten your teeth and make your smile more attractive. Although all the methods claim to be very effective, only a few are good at removing tough stains.

Internal teeth bleaching is a procedure aimed at removing discoloration both in and outside the tooth. It is one of the most effective teeth whitening procedures usually performed on patients with discolored teeth caused by tooth trauma or a damaged tooth restored through root canal treatment. After root canal treatment, blood, saliva, or bacteria can remain inside the tooth, which may later cause discoloration of the affected tooth.

Difference Between Internal Teeth Bleaching and Traditional (External) Tooth Bleaching

Most people are familiar with external teeth whitening as it is the conventional method of whitening teeth. During external teeth whitening, the dentist applies a bleaching substance to bleaching trays and uses them to whiten the patient’s teeth. Unfortunately, with external teeth whitening, only the surface of the teeth is bleached, making it ineffective against tough stains.

With internal teeth whitening, both the external and internal parts of the tooth are whitened. Unlike traditional teeth whitening, this method only targets specific teeth that were discolored due to trauma or root canal treatment. When you go for internal teeth whitening in Longmont, your dentist will use special bleaching materials and techniques to whiten the inside of your tooth, removing tough stains and making your smile more attractive.

How Is Teeth Whitening Done?

Since many of you are already familiar with external teeth whitening and how it’s done, we won’t dive in on it but instead talk about internal teeth bleaching. Before the procedure can start, your endodontist will examine your teeth to find the source of the dental stains. Since we like to be thorough, our dentist will take x-ray images of the tooth to check whether the tooth can be bleached externally instead of a more extensive teeth whitening method. If the source of the discoloration is found to be bacteria, a root canal treatment may be needed before bleaching.

Once our dentist determines you are a good candidate for internal bleaching, they will drill a tiny hole behind the discolored tooth and then place a bleaching agent inside. The bleaching agent is put inside the coronal portion of the tooth and left for about 30 minutes or longer, depending on the severity of the discoloration. After whitening, the dentist will remove the bleaching crystals and fill and reseal your teeth.

How Long Is Recovery After Teeth Bleaching?

Teeth whitening is a simple dental procedure that hardly requires sedation, not unless to calm an overly anxious patient. That being said, you don’t have to worry about the recovery period since there isn’t one. You can go back to your daily routine soon after the cosmetic procedure. However, you should wait for at least 48 hours before eating foods that could stain your teeth. Your dentist will list the type of food to avoid during this period and any other aftercare instructions to keep your teeth white for an extended period.

You may notice increased tooth sensitivity when taking cold and hot food/ beverages post-treatment. That shouldn’t alarm you as it’s relatively common and will disappear a few days later. If you experience any severe side effects, talk to your dentist immediately.

Conclusion

Tooth discolorations are common, even among patients with good dental hygiene practices. There is no need to be alarmed if you notice a change in your teeth’s white appearance. Visit Fox Creek Dental by Espire Longmont for teeth whitening. Our dentist will examine your teeth and help you choose the right dental whitening procedure for your teeth.