Do you have stained teeth? For those with unsightly discoloration, we may provide a professional solution with our custom trays and bleaching gel. In today’s blog, we’re going to talk about how our treatment brightens smiles, and what steps our Des Moines, IA, patients can take to keep their smiles bright and shining for months to come.

The Initial Office Treatment

First, we need to assess the cause and severity of your teeth stains. If we find our at-home system is right for you, then we will proceed with an initial office treatment. During this visit, we will also take detailed impressions of your smile to create a set of custom-made plastic trays. We then send you home with the plastic trays and a powerful bleaching gel to continue the rest of the treatment.

Trays and Gel

At home, you will need to fill the trays with gel and wear them for about 30 to 34 minutes each day. The trays help spread the gel evenly across the smile, ensuring proper whitening. The total treatment time will depend on the extent of your discoloration, but usually falls between a week and ten days. For many, teeth will be brightened by multiple shades. You then keep the trays and any remaining gel for touch-ups down the road. We can use this option to address extrinsic stains, which form on the surface of the teeth, and minor intrinsic discoloration, which forms beneath the enamel. Severe intrinsic stains, also known as permanent stains, that don’t respond to teeth whitening can still be addressed, as we may mask them with dental bonding, porcelain veneers, or a combination of these two options.

Keeping Your Teeth Bright

What steps can you take following treatment to help your new results last? To start, be sure you’re brushing your teeth twice a day, once when you wake up and again before going to sleep. Each session should take about two minutes. Flossing before bed is also essential, as this removes the bits of food a toothbrush cannot reach. Brushing and flossing help control plaque buildup, a sticky layer that coats the teeth and can lead to more apparent discoloration. You should also cut back on drinks with dark pigments, such as coffee, red wine, tea, and soda. Consuming fewer sugary foods and drinks also helps reduce the severity of plaque buildup. If you have any questions about fighting discoloration or about our professional teeth whitening options, then contact our team today.

Does Your Smile Need Cosmetic Treatment?

We can help you enjoy a brighter smile with professional teeth whitening procedures. For more information on cosmetic treatment options, including whitening, veneers, and dental bonding, schedule a consultation with Dr. Burds by calling Gateway Dental Group in downtown Des Moines, IA, at (515) 244-9565.