Author: Familydentalcare_aDMeeN

An imperfect smile may be debilitating, and there are various cosmetic dental procedures that the dentist may recommend.

Cosmetic dental bonding is one of the options that involve covering tooth chips or cracks and revamping your smile. Bonding involves using composite resin material that’s tooth-colored to resemble the shade of your tooth and prevent dental flaws.

The same-day procedure is non-invasive and is ideal for addressing most of your cosmetic needs. Dental bonding can last for about ten years before replacement.

There are various aspects to consider in enhancing the longevity of bonding material. Read on to learn more about dental bonding and its role in addressing your dental flaws.

How Long Does It Take to Bond A Tooth?

Dental bonding at a dentist’s office requires about one hour.

However, they are various factors that involve the duration of bonding and how long the bonded tooth will serve you, including:

• The material selected for your tooth
• Where the bonding material will be applied
• Condition of your teeth that need bonding and how they’ll impact durability
• Various habits like biting nails, teeth clenching, and eating sticky or hard foods

While bonding is done to repair your damaged tooth and seal cracks or stains, it lasts five to 10 years. The procedure combines composite resin material and curing light.

Can Dental Bonding Be Redone?

Dental bonding isn’t a permanent dental procedure, and several reasons compel your dentist to repair your bonded tooth, including:

• The bonding material is vulnerable to staining and requires replacement.
• The composite resin material isn’t as robust as the natural tooth, and it’s predisposed to wear and tear if you eat hard foods.
• If you clench your teeth or face oral malocclusions, you will likely bite down on the bonding material, causing chips or breakage.

The reasons above may necessitate cosmetic dental bonding to be redone by your dentist.

You’ll easily identify changes on your bite, or the material may become loose. You need to visit your dentist for an immediate replacement to safeguard your bonded tooth from further deterioration.

How to Enhance Durability of Bonded Teeth

Following good oral hygiene practices can prolong the bonded material on your teeth. You need to take care of the resin material like your natural teeth.

If you follow all the instructions provided by your dentist on aftercare of bonded teeth, it can serve you for a long. You can find better results with bonded teeth, and some of your dental functionalities are restored.

Some of the vital guidelines you need to follow include:

• After teeth bonding, avoid pigmented beverages and food that cause staining, including tea, coffee, and smoking.
• Avoid chewing hard food like candy and ice, and wear night guards if you clench your teeth.
• Use the ideal flossing techniques to avoid hurting the bonding material. It’s crucial to consult your cosmetic dental bonding specialist on the recommended flossing techniques.
• Brush your teeth regularly by using a soft-bristled toothbrush. To maintain high hygiene standards, replace your toothbrush after three months. Brushing too vigorously would damage your bonding material.
• Visit your general dentist for regular checkups to ensure dental exams and cleaning is done and any underlying issues are detected and addressed on time.
• Undergo replacement if you notice unusual signs on your bonding material, like staining or damage.

Can Dental Bonding Be Removed Without Hurting Your Teeth?

The removal of the bonding material is non-invasive and painless. However, if bonding has been done on the tooth enamel or dentine layer, your tooth has to be etched before applying the bonding material.

Thus, a small portion of the enamel may be removed. You can also undergo dental bonding after Invisalign treatment if your teeth are stained.

The dentist’s office near you uses advanced techniques to remove the bonding material without damaging your teeth.

Your cosmetic dentist ensures your smile makeover is perfect, and at Family Dental Care – Crestwood, we guide you on the ideal cosmetic procedures before undergoing one.

During your appointment, we discuss your cosmetic preferences and enable you to select suitable treatment options for your dental.

Our cosmetic dentist further provides you with vital guidelines on how to preserve your bonded teeth.

In its early stages, oral cancer can be difficult to spot, making it easy to overlook. Hence why we require regular dental check-ups for oral cancer screenings.

Dentists are trained to detect any early signs of developing oral cancer. Mouth cancer can develop in different parts of your mouth. Some of these parts include lips, salivary glands, the inner lining of the cheeks, gums, tongue, and the hard and soft palate.

Cancerous cells in the mouth can develop for no obvious reason, but they are usually associated with lifestyle habits. For example, smoking, tobacco, and alcohol are lifestyle factors that increase the risk of oral cancer.

If you are at a high risk of getting oral cancer, visit us for oral cancer screening in Calumet City.

Signs and Symptoms of Mouth Cancer

Signs and symptoms of oral cancer will vary from one person to another. However, if any of the following signs and symptoms persist for weeks, you should visit your dentist for an examination.

Early signs of mouth cancer one should look out for include:

• Mouth sores that easily bleed and do not heal
• Loose teeth
• Red or white patches on the tonsils, gums, tongue, or the mouth lining
• Having a thickening or a lump on the cheek, gums, lips, or neck

Other signs and symptoms of oral cancer include:

• Having chewing difficulties when speaking, chewing, swallowing, or generally moving your jaws or tongue
• Dry mouth or constant bad breath
• Unexplained loss of weight
• Sore throat
• Experiencing numbness or pain on your tongue or any other part of your mouth
• Hearing difficulties or experiencing pain or ringing in your ears

How is Mouth Cancer Diagnosed?

Your dentist may spot a potential sign of oral cancer during regular dental check-ups. A follow-up that includes additional physical examination and tests is then done.

The roof and the floor of your mouth are closely examined. Your tongue, the back of your throat, cheeks, and the lymph nodes on your neck are also examined.

If the dentist cannot determine the symptoms you are experiencing, they may refer you to an ear, nose, and throat specialist.

The dentist will perform a tissue or brush biopsy if tumours or suspicious lesions are found. A brush biopsy is non-invasive and involves the collection of cells from tumours by brushing them on a slide.

Tissue biopsies include removing a part of the tumour to be examined under a microscope.

The dentist may also do the following tests to diagnose mouth cancer.

• X-rays show if the cancer cells have spread to the jaw, lungs, or chest.
• MRI scans will show accurate images of your neck, head, and cancer stage.
• Endoscopy examines the nasal passages, inner throat, trachea, or windpipe.
• CT scan will reveal any tumours in your throat, mouth, neck, lungs, or other body parts.

What is the Treatment for Oral Cancer?

During diagnosis, your oral cancer treatment plan is determined by various factors such as size, type, location, and cancer stage.

The following are available treatment options for oral cancer at our Family Dental Care – Calumet City.

• Surgery

The main goal of surgery as oral cancer treatment is to remove the affected tissue while minimizing damage to the other mouth organs. The surgical procedure removes the tumours and the cancerous lymph nodes when the cancer is in its early stages. If it is advanced, a part of your mouth lining or facial skin may be removed.

• Chemotherapy

This type of treatment uses anti-cancer drugs to get rid of cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be done on its own or combined with radiation therapy. Your dentist may also recommend chemotherapy to reduce the tumour size before surgery. Chemotherapy can also be the preferred treatment if cancer has returned after undergoing other treatment methods.

• Radiation Therapy

This is another type of cancer treatment that uses doses of radiation beams to kill cancerous cells. It is usually done after surgery to prevent cancer from returning. The treatment therapy can also be used to treat small oral cancers. Radiation therapy can also be combined with other treatments to treat more advanced cancers.

Maxillofacial trauma is an injury to the face. Regardless of where the injury happens on the face, there is a high probability that the injury will not occur in isolation but rather spread to adjacent areas. Trauma usually causes physical injury to soft and hard tissues, which triggers an inflammatory response leading to pain and swelling.

During maxillofacial trauma, the injuries may extend towards the gums and teeth, causing bleeding and swelling of gums and, if severe, tooth loss. This article will discuss maxillofacial injuries, causes, and why you should see a dentist for treatment.

Common Causes of Maxillofacial Trauma

There are many ways you can end up with maxillofacial injuries. Still, it commonly tends to occur due to sports injuries, motor vehicle accidents, accidental falls, physical altercations, and work-related injuries.

• Car Accidents

Many patients with oral and maxillofacial trauma got them through motor vehicle accidents. The main reason road accidents are a major contributor to maxillofacial trauma is the influx of motor vehicles, especially in urban areas where the population is significantly higher.

You can reduce the impact of motor vehicle-induced maxillofacial injuries by using safety equipment or features such as helmets and seatbelts.

• Fall and Slip

People who play high-contact sports like hockey, football, and boxing have a higher chance of getting oral and maxillofacial trauma. We, therefore, recommend you wear the proper protective equipment such as a mouth guard, facial protection, and headgear when taking part in high-contact sports.

• Work-Related Injuries

Some jobs pose greater risks than others. For example, people who do construction-related work or have industrial jobs may need to be cautious while working to avoid injuries. While working, ensure you have your masks, goggles, gloves, and other protective gear.

Types of Maxillofacial Injuries

• Soft Tissue Maxillofacial Injuries

Soft tissue injuries are the most common after an accident. You can easily tell when soft tissue injuries occur on the face because of the lacerations. Surgeons will do their best to repair your face while providing you with the best cosmetic results possible. A maxillofacial surgeon will carefully inspect your facial nerves, salivary glands, and ducts to detect any more injuries that need repairing.

• Bone Maxillofacial Injuries

Bone injuries in the facial region are treated similarly to bone injuries in other regions. Your maxillofacial surgeon will consider factors such as the location of the fracture, the severity of the fracture, and your health condition to determine the best treatment for your injuries. Unlike bone fractures to other regions, which can be corrected through a cast, facial injuries will require a unique form of treatment.

Your doctor may use wires, plates, or screws to fix upper or lower jaw fractures. The use of small plates and screws is often preferred over wires since it was found to make healing for patients easier. For the best cosmetic results, your doctor will take the approach that needs the fewest cuts to be made on the face. If possible, the incisions will be tiny and made so that the scars left will be well hidden and, therefore, hard to notice.

• Dental Maxillofacial Injuries

This is the second most common type of injury apart from soft tissue injuries and requires a specialist to offer the best form of treatment. Fortunately, an oral surgeon can easily treat your injuries and restore all your displaced or missing teeth efficiently such that people won’t be able to tell if you previously had dental surgery.

If your tooth gets knocked out after an accident, do your best to preserve it by placing the tooth in a glass of milk or salt water. We recommend doing this as fast as possible as it significantly increases the chances of the tooth’s survival, so our dentist in Munster can restore it. If restoration is impossible, we will recommend natural-looking artificial teeth replacement options.

Conclusion

The chances of ending up with facial injuries are high after an accident. However, if you talk all the necessary precautions to reduce the damage caused by trauma to the face, you can reduce the level of injuries in the maxillofacial region.

So, wear all safety gear correctly before working a job with high risks of accidents or engaging in high-contact sports like football and boxing. If you sustain dental injuries, visit Family Dental Care – Munster for treatment.

We have a highly skilled dentist equipped with modern dental equipment to make dental surgery safe and effective.

Everyone deserves a great smile that makes a lasting impression and improves self-esteem. However, not all have a natural well-aligned smile. Most people have crooked teeth, wide gaps, an underbite or overbite issues. Fortunately, you can have a straight, beautiful smile through Invisalign treatment. Read on for more about invisalign®️ clear aligners.

What Is Invisalign?

These clear braces treat dental misalignments such as bad bites, spacing, and crowding. They are fabricated from a strong and virtually invisible special material. Invisalign technology manufactures and provides Invisalign aligners through your dentist.

Orthodontic treatment with Invisalign involves wearing a series of custom-made aligners for months. Then, the dentist provides successive sets of aligners to be worn consecutively every two weeks. Each group is designed to move teeth differently. So, you will only achieve the desired outcome after wearing all the trays.

Invisalign aligners must be worn for 20-22 hours each day for the teeth to move to their proper positions. This comes with slight restrictions to your diet, lifestyle habits, and dental hygiene. For example, you must remove the aligners when eating or drinking anything other than cold water. Not doing so damages and stains them interfering with treatment and aesthetics.

Lifestyle habits such as smoking and taking alcohol are restricted when using aligners. Smoking or using tobacco products affects oral health and stains teeth and aligners. Taking colored alcohol such as red wine can also stain the clear material.

The time of treatment with Invisalign varies depending on the misalignment being corrected. Some Invisalign braces work in three months, while others give results after 18 months. However, if you follow the dentist’s recommendations, you will see a marked improvement in your smile in 10 weeks.

Who Is Not Suitable for Invisalign?

According to the dentist, most people can have Invisalign orthodontic treatment. However, they must be committed to the rules of wearing the aligners. They should also have excellent dental health and maintain good oral hygiene. In addition, the aligners are comfortable, discreet, and effective.

However, Invisalign may not suit you if you have acute gum disease, wear dentures, or have dental bridges. In addition, you may not benefit from Invisalign if you have a serious overbite, severely rotated teeth, or intrusion and extrusion. Also, you cannot experience amazing results if your teeth are pegged or too short.

Previously, Invisalign did not work well with missing teeth. Fortunately, dental experts have come up with methods to design aligners to accommodate the gaps. These aligners help straighten teeth and allow the lost tooth to be replaced in its proper position later.

How Old Do I Have to Be for Invisalign Treatment?

Age should not be a problem when you want to align your smile with Invisalign. Invisalign treatment can start as early as six years and is suitable even for senior adults. In addition, when a child’s permanent teeth start coming in, Invisalign can be used to help develop perfect smiles.

Invisalign®️ First is orthodontics targeted at children ages 6-10. These braces treat jaws to make room for the proper development of permanent teeth. In addition, they are designed to address spacing, crowding, and narrow dental arches. These Phase 1 braces also help with poor oral habits like tongue thrusting and thumb sucking.

Teenagers are more aware of the imperfections of their smiles. So they, too, can receive Invisalign treatment through Invisalign Teen aligners. These braces are designed to encourage the teen patient to wear them for the required time. They have a blue dot indicating whether they wear the aligners long enough daily. The Phase 2 treatment helps them align their smiles confidently.

There is no age limit for orthodontic treatment with Invisalign. Adults in their 50s and 60s can benefit from Invisalign if they complete the treatment. However, the dentist in Crestwood must check their bone density to ensure the treatment will produce awesome results. These clear braces correct various misalignment issues in adults without affecting their appearance.

Everyone deserves a perfectly aligned smile regardless of their age. Family Dental Care- Evergreen Park is committed to providing Invisalign treatment for patients of all ages. We will address your misalignment issues to help you achieve your best smile. Besides, you can benefit from alternative orthodontic treatments if Invisalign is unsuitable.

Dental trauma is a serious injury to parts of your mouth such as the teeth, pulp, jaw, gums, lips, or cheeks. The injuries are usually painful. They require prompt treatment to save the tooth and alleviate the symptoms.

Therefore, if you sustain dental trauma, you should seek treatment from an emergency dentist in Crestwood. Read on for causes, types, and treatments of dental trauma.

What Are the Causes of Dental Traumas?

Dental trauma is usually a result of accidents that injure the face and mouth. For example, you may get trauma while playing sports such as football or hockey.

Alternatively, you can have dental trauma while watching the game on the benches. This happens when the ball accidentally hits you on the face or you get into fist fights after losing the game.

Dental trauma can also be due to motor vehicle accidents or work-related accidents. Sometimes, you may trip down the stairs, slip on the wet floor, and fall, resulting in dental trauma.

What you eat or how you use your teeth can also result in dental trauma. For example, chewing or biting into hard foods or objects can cause dental trauma.

Types of Dental Trauma

1. Tooth fracture

Your tooth may sustain a fracture of the alveolar socket, enamel, root, or crown. Some are superficial and leave the tooth with a sharp edge that can be easily filed down. These do not require you to rush to the dentist, but you can schedule an appointment to have the tooth restored.

However, you may sustain a serious fracture that affects the dentin, pulp, and roots. It can cause your tooth to be sensitive to extreme temperatures or pressure. Such an injury increases the risk of bacterial infections since the inner tooth parts are exposed. Therefore, you must visit a dentist when you have this fracture repaired.

2. Dislodged or displaced tooth

Dental trauma may result in the displacement of a tooth from its socket. It may sink deep into its socket, hang loosely or shift to the side. A displaced tooth is a dental emergency. This is because it causes severe pain and damages the nerves and tissues in the dental pulp. It requires immediate attention from a dentist who will provide root canal treatment.

3. Knocked out tooth

Your tooth may sustain trauma that knocks it completely out of its socket. As a result, you may have severe pain, and your mouth may bleed and swell. A knocked-out tooth requires prompt action for the tooth to be replanted successfully to its socket. Therefore rush to the dentist within 30 minutes of your injury.

Handle the tooth carefully to avoid damaging the connective tissues. If the tooth falls, pick it up by the crown instead of the roots. Rinse away any dirt from it with low-fat milk or a sterile saline solution. Then, press the tooth into the socket and keep it there until you reach the dentist. If not possible, carry it to the dentist in a container with the saline solution or milk.

4. Soft tissues injury

Your gums, face, lips, or mouth can also be severely injured, resulting in bleeding and swelling. The injuries will need to be looked at by a dental professional. There may be more injuries visible only through x-rays.

Dental Trauma Treatment

Treatment after dental trauma depends on the injury’s type, severity, and location. Whatever the type of dental trauma sustained, you can minimize the damage by taking the right steps. You should administer first aid to the injured area. Try to alleviate the symptoms and prevent further damage.

It is important to contact the dentist as soon as possible and inform them about the trauma. Do not ignore visiting them, even though the injury seems minor, as it may have unnoticeable damage. The dentist will instruct you on what to do about the issue before reaching their offices.

At their practice, they will examine the area and take x-rays and CT scans to determine the extent of the damage. The diagnosis results will help the dentist create an appropriate dental trauma treatment plan. This plan will focus on short-term and long-term treatments to ensure the tooth regains full function and aesthetics.

Contact or visit us at Family Dental Care-Crestwood for fast and effective treatment after dental trauma.

Periodontitis is a gum disease that results in the infection of the tissues that support your teeth. The disease usually results in the inflammation of the gum tissue, and symptoms can be mild or severe depending on how the disease has advanced.

People suffering from periodontal disease need to seek treatment early, or they might lose one or several teeth as the disease progresses to later stages.

Early gum disease treatment is more affordable and usually includes deep dental cleaning; good oral hygiene is also recommended to prevent the disease from occurring in the first place.

Causes of Periodontal Disease

One of the most common causes of periodontal disease is bacteria. Our mouths usually contain bacteria, mucus, and plaque. Regular brushing and flossing are usually enough to control the bacteria in your teeth while also removing the plaque, which, if not removed, hardens to tartar, making it difficult to get rid of.

Once the plaque turns to tartar, the only way to have it removed will be to a dentist in 60453 for professional dental cleaning.

Apart from bacteria and plaque accumulation, other factors can also increase the chances of getting periodontal disease. Smoking is an excellent example of a factor that causes periodontitis in many of our patients.

Smoking is not only bad for your gums, but it can cause cancer and other health problems. If you smoke regularly, try to use nicotine patches to quit slowly and if that fails, seek help from a professional.

Other risk factors for periodontitis are diabetes and AIDS, which weakens the immune system if not controlled, hormonal changes in women, genetics, and disease that reduce saliva flow in the mouth.

Symptoms of Gum Disease

You might not end up experiencing all these symptoms simultaneously, ranging from mild to severe, depending on how the disease has progressed.

• Red, swollen gums
• Increased tooth sensitivity
• Soft bleeding gums
• Bad breath that lasts
• Teeth that appear longer than usual, caused by receding gums
• Having loose teeth
• Pain when chewing

Stages of Periodontal Disease

Stage 1: Healthy Gums

This is where the gums have not yet started showing any signs of infection. At this stage, your gums are still healthy, firm, and pink with no recession. Teeth also are firmly held and don’t have signs of infection.

Stage 2: Gingivitis

This is when the gum disease has not yet advanced to the bones, and the disease can be reversed If detected early. Gingivitis usually occurs due to bad oral hygiene leading to plaque buildup on the teeth. What makes gingivitis challenging to treat is its mild early symptoms; thus, most people ignore or don’t notice them. So see a dentist as soon as you notice redness and swelling on the gums and bad breath.

Stage 3: Early Periodontitis

This stage is not reversible but manageable. When you are in this stage, the infection would have spread to the bones and started to cause bone loss. The bacteria would have also evolved and become aggressive, so good oral hygiene alone won’t stop it from spreading. Signs of early or slight periodontitis include bad breath, swollen red gums, bleeding when brushing or flossing, and a probing depth of 4-5 millimeters.

Stage 4: Moderate Periodontitis

This stage is also not reversible; symptoms are similar to stage 3 but more severe. The probing depth would now be at more than 6 millimeters, making it easier for bacteria to spread to your bone and bloodstream, weakening your immune system. Treatment at this stage would be in the form of scaling and root planing. Gum disease treatment at this stage is crucial to prevent severe bone deterioration and tooth loss.

Stage 5: Advanced Periodontitis

At this stage, the risk of bone loss would have significantly risen to more than 50%. Gums would be red, swollen, and oozing pus. Chewing would be painful, and teeth would either be too sensitive or fall. You would also go through severe halitosis, and surgery or periodontal laser therapy would be necessary to clean the bacteria-filled pockets.

Complications From Periodontal Disease

There are many complications from tooth loss; the most common ones include:

• Painful tooth abscesses
• Shifting of teeth
• Receding gums
• Tooth loss and bone loss
• Heart and birth complications

Conclusion

Periodontal disease should not be taken lightly. Late diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease not only puts your dental health in jeopardy but can also result in heart and birth complications.

Visit Family Dental Care – Chicago for gum disease treatment. We accept dental insurance and other payment methods to ensure all our patients have access to affordable dental care.

The number of people getting dental implants keeps getting higher every year. This increase can be attributed to recent technological advancements in dental implants. Currently, a dental implant procedure is one of the safest and most effective tooth restoration options you can get.

If you plan to get dental implants soon, this article will provide you with all the necessary information concerning the procedure and what to expect.

Purpose of a Dental Implant

Dental implants are an effective and popular method of replacing missing teeth. They function as artificial tooth roots that can support dental bridges and replacement teeth when fitted to your jaws. Consider getting a dental implant if you recently lost one or several teeth due to periodontal disease, injury, or other causes.

You also don’t need to worry about the attention and looks you’ll get from having dental implants; the dental device was designed to blend in with natural teeth, making them easy to conceal.

What to Expect During the Procedure?

Once you have made up your mind and opted for a dental implant, the next thing you may want to know is how your dentist will install the device. We have divided the installation procedure into stages for easier understanding:

• Tooth Extraction

If your severely damaged tooth is still intact, the first thing we’ll do is to remove it. We’ll use local anesthesia to numb the area before pulling or surgically extracting the tooth. To save time, your dentist may recommend doing the dental extraction while fitting you with dental implants.

• Bone Graft

This process may not be necessary for every patient planning to get dental implants. A bone graft is a procedure carried out to strengthen the jawbones so they can easily support the dental implants.

Your dentist may take a bone from somewhere else or use a synthetic bone graft material to prepare your jawbone for grafting. Once complete, you’ll need to wait for at least four months for your wounds to heal before your dentist can proceed to fit you with dental implants. However, for a minor bone graft, a highly skilled and experienced dentist may be able to fit the implant immediately after giving you a bone graft.

• Placing of Dental Implants

This is now the stage where the dental implants will be put in. Your dentist will cut into your gums, use a special drilling tool to drill into your jawbone tissue, and place a titanium rod beneath the gums to serve as artificial tooth roots. You will need to wait another 4 to 6 months for osseointegration to occur, ensuring the dental implant fuses with the jawbone.

• Installing the Healing Caps 

A healing cap, also known as a gingival former, is a small rounded tool that attaches to a dental implant. This tool serves as a metallic collar that guides the soft and hard gum tissues to heal around the dental implants. If fitted properly, often at the top of the implant, the healing caps can protect the primary parts of the implant from the accumulation of plaque and other debris.

• Fitting an Abutment and Temporary Crowns

Once the tissue surrounding the cap heals, your dentist will remove it and replace it with an implant abutment. We will crew the abutment onto the implant and add a temporary crown on top. This is meant to allow the gums to properly heal and thus will only stay in place for 4 to 6 weeks before we replace them with permanent crowns.

Permanent Crown Placement

You don’t have to worry about waiting for additional weeks or months for your permanent crowns to be ready because we will prepare them while you are still wearing the temporary ones. Then, your dentist will cement or screw your crowns to the abutments in your implants.

Cemented crowns will look better since they won’t use any screw holes and are thus easier to conceal. Alternatively, patients with crowns screwed into their implants will be at an advantage because it would be easier to remove when access to surrounding tissue is required.

How Painful Is a Dental Implant?

Getting dental implants is not painful despite there being a series of steps and procedures before installation is complete. While you are still at the dentist’s office in Calumet City, your dentist will use local anesthesia to ease any pain that you might have ended up experiencing during surgery.

You’ll likely experience swelling and soreness once we are done fitting you with implants, but this is normal and will wear off as you heal. In addition, we will give you painkillers to make your healing journey much more comfortable.

Conclusion

Dental implants are a reliable tooth replacement option that will last a very long period, guaranteed you had them fitted by an experienced and highly skilled dentist.

If you plan to get dental implants in the future, we recommend you visit Family Dental Care – Calumet City for the best dental services near you. We offer affordable dental services and accept many payment methods, including dental insurance.

Teeth whitening treatments are cosmetic dental procedures to improve the color of your teeth to give you the freedom to flash your beautiful smile. The treatments are popular among many people with discolored teeth, impacting their smile to make them appear like introverts or people who aren’t open to meeting or discussing anything with others.

If tooth discoloration is causing problems with your smile and impacting your self-confidence, you can comfortably have your teeth whitened at the dentist’s office near you to have the brighter teeth you desire. You might think dental treatments cause anxiety and expenses and consider over-the-counter or natural remedies to achieve your goal.

However, we recommend that you not indulge in such activities because they can damage tooth enamel to leave you more harm than good. Therefore if you want your teeth whitened, the best option is to seek advice from a dentist who also provides teeth whitening treatments.

Why should patients consider teeth whitening?

Patients can consider teeth whitening treatments for many reasons. For example, teeth usually darken from the staining foods and beverages you have and lifestyle habits like smoking and chewing tobacco. In addition, injuries to your teeth impacting the nerve can leave your tooth discolored, making it challenging to whiten with treatments from dentists.

When enamel erosion exposes the dentin beneath, having a yellowish appearance, your teeth can darken with age. Medications had during childhood can also impact your teeth, leaving stains on them to make them appear ungainly.

When you find it challenging to whiten your teeth using whitening toothpaste or other remedies, you find it better to visit the dentist requesting teeth whitening treatments.

What Is the Typical Number and Length of Each Whitening Session?

The length of time required for each whitening session is approximately 90 minutes. The 90-minute session is not merely to whiten teeth but is also to examine your dental health and give you teeth cleaning before whitening them.

How many sessions you need to whiten your teeth depends on the severity of the discoloration. If you have stained teeth from infections or injuries, dentists might recommend alternative treatments like dental bonding, veneers, or crowns instead of teeth whitening.

During the examination, the dentist examines your teeth to determine the kind of discoloration affecting them and look for signs of tooth decay and gum disease. If dental conditions affect you, the dentist recommends you have the problems treated before considering whitening treatments. Fortunately, if you don’t have any dental infections, the dentist proceeds with the whitening treatment to complete it in one session.

Dentists bleach your teeth using concentrated hydrogen peroxide and provide four applications of the ingredient over your teeth at intervals of 15 each. Before applying the hydrogen peroxide, the dentist protects the soft tissues of your mouth with cheek retractors and rubber dams over your gums to prevent sensitivity from the whitening ingredient. They also note the color of your teeth for reference later.

After 15 minutes, the dentist removes the existing application on your teeth for a new one. Heat and light accompany the whitening treatment to accelerate the process and whiten your teeth faster.

At the end of one hour, the dentist requests you rinse your mouth and receive a fluoride treatment for sensitivity and to strengthen enamel to battle against cavities. Finally, the dentist notes the changes to your teeth’ color to confirm changes by up to three to eight shades.

You might require multiple teeth whitening sessions with the dentist if you have severely discolored teeth resulting from foods and beverages besides habits like smoking.

How Do I Keep My Teeth White for a Longer Period of Time?

Keeping your teeth whiter for an extended period might seem challenging, especially if you are accustomed to staining foods and beverages and smoking or chewing tobacco. However, limiting or avoiding foods, drinks, and tobacco is the optimal method of keeping your teeth whiter.

You must also get regular cleanings from your dentist when your teeth receive polishing after the cleaning. Maintaining excellent dental hygiene by brushing twice daily and flossing at least once is a requirement you cannot overlook.

An alternative method of retaining the brighter color of your teeth is to request your dentist for at-home whitening trays, which they customize after taking impressions of your teeth and mouth and provide them with whitening gel to use from the comfort of your home. Using the trays as the dentist recommends helps you keep your teeth whiter for an extended period.

Effective treatments for teeth whitening are provided by Family Dental Care — Oak Lawn with at-home whitening trays if required. If your teeth have discolored, a visit to this practice is warranted to brighten your teeth and have the desired smile.