A whiter, brighter smile is a common desire among patients. In an age of instant photography and social media, there are people who want a more “camera-ready” smile. Having a whiter smile can give you confidence during important events and interviews. Many people notice and remember a winning smile. You can leave a lasting impression just by opening your mouth. To achieve a pearly white smile, you can look into methods for whitening your teeth.
Typically, many people look to chemical whitening treatments. However, they are widely available online and in many convenience stores. A whiter smile is as simple as the click of a button. To gain a whiter smile, you have to follow the instructions and remain consistent. It can take several weeks for at-home treatments to produce results. If you are on a short timeline, you can always contact your dentist for a professional whitening treatment. Rather than waiting weeks, you can see a whiter smile in just one appointment.
Alternatively, not all whitening treatments are effective for everyone. As a result, you need an alternative whitening treatment, such as tooth bonding.
What is Tooth Bonding?
Tooth bonding is a non-invasive cosmetic procedure that can whiten your smile. Dentists commonly use tooth bonding to whiten teeth, lengthen tooth size, fill gaps, and fix chipped teeth. Unlike other whitening methods, tooth bonding camouflages discoloration rather than lifting it. Tooth bonding is a flexible composite resin that your dentist can mold to your teeth in whatever way you need.
With traditional whitening methods, chemicals like hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide break down stains on your teeth. Once the stains break down, they will lift and make your teeth look whiter. However, this doesn’t work with all types of stains. Typically, chemical whitening treatments work with surface-levels stains. These typically form due to diet and lifestyle habits.
For example, most foods or beverages that can stain your clothes can also stain your teeth. Drinking coffee every morning or red wine in the evenings can discolor your teeth. Additionally, habits like smoking can leave your teeth yellow or brown over time. Generally, most whitening treatments can alter these stains.
Why Tooth Bonding?
Traditional whitening treatment won’t work with some types of stains.
Dental trauma can create discoloration deep within the tooth. If you get hit in the mouth, it can cause a deformity to the enamel, especially if you are young (with baby teeth). With adult teeth, dental trauma can impact the nerve, causing it to die. Unfortunately, this will cause discoloration. Chemical whitening treatments cannot break down this type of stain. Therefore, you need to utilize tooth bonding for camouflage.
Some medications or medical treatments can permanently discolor your teeth. For example, radiation and chemotherapy can create discoloration in the teeth’s enamel. Also, some antibiotics taken before the age of 8 can permanently damage your enamel. Therefore, you have to use a treatment like tooth bonding to whiten your teeth.