WHITENING or BLEACHING

This is a procedure of making teeth whiter, and therefore more attractive.  Our office recommends professionally constructed mouth trays to whiten the teeth.  A gel material is placed in the trays by the patient and the trays are worn for a few hours at a time.  This can be done at home, at work, shopping, reading - almost anytime. The results are dependant on many factors, but all patients who bleach see results.  The process takes 3-5 weeks in the majority of patients.  The length of time required depends on the patient, how often the trays are used, the initial colors and shades of the teeth being treated and several other factors.  Over time, you will usualy want to "refresh" the bleach result with additional bleaching sessions.   Dr. Hinson will visit with you about whether you are a good candidate for bleaching during your visit.

There are many different methods for tooth bleaching available to the public.  Bleaching "strips" can be purchased in most pharmacies and other stores and we have seen good results in some patients.  Ask Dr. Hinson if he thinks this might work for your teeth.  Also, there are many "light assisted" or "laser" bleaching techniques offered by dental professionals.  Most all independent research suggests that light or laser assisted bleaching is no more effective than chemical bleaching.  Dr. Hinson considers "light assisted" bleaching expensive, time consuming, and ill advised for the most part.

Before	After only 2 "at home" bleach sessions

The direct technique involves placing composite resin on the outside of the tooth using tooth shaded filling materials. This method is usually referred to as "bonding."  It is a "free handed" sculpturing technique performed by Dr. Hinson. 

The indirect technique usually involves two appointments because the porcelain veneers will usually be fabricated at a dental laboratory. At the first appointment the teeth are prepared with a minimum amount of tooth removal required, impressions are taken, and the teeth are given a temporary covering. In a few days, the veneers are back from the laboratory, the temporaries are removed and the veneers are bonded to the teeth. The laboratory fabricated veneers are  made utilizing specialized porcelain or pressed ceramics, and are extremely esthetic.  Porcelain laminates are considered by many to be  the most cosmetic tooth enhancement available and can transform smiles like nothing else.

The advantage of veneers versus crowns is that generally much less tooth material is removed. Veneers are not recommended for teeth that have large fillings or little remaining natural tooth structure, as these teeth usually require more involved treatment.

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