Do you have discolored, dull, or yellowed teeth? Are you looking for a way to brighten your natural tooth enamel? Professional whitening treatment can create a whiter, brighter smile. At Smiles by Mia, we offer KöR teeth whitening to patients in Burke, VA.
KöR does not require lights or lasers. Instead, it uses powerful peroxide-based whitening gels that remove tooth stains. Unlike store-bought whitening options, professional whitening treatment offers high-quality cosmetic results that can improve your confidence in your smile. Consider professional treatment if you have not had success with over-the-counter gels, strips, or toothpaste.
What Causes Tooth Discoloration?
There are many different causes and types of tooth stains. For all of us, our teeth will discolor more as we age. Throughout the years, the bright white outer layer of your teeth — the enamel — wears away. This exposes more of the off-white dentin layer that’s underneath. Genetics are a factor too. You may be more predisposed to tooth discoloration than the average human.
The foods and drinks you consume have an impact. If you’re regularly drinking coffee, tea, or dark sodas, they’ll stain your teeth more and more over time. Things like strawberries and wine can also cause staining. Lifestyle habits play into discoloration as well. If you regularly smoke or chew tobacco, that causes yellow and brown stains that get worse over time. Without diligent oral health routines, the effects will be worse.
When you incur trauma to your tooth, you risk damaging the nerves and inner pulp. The pulp is what provides blood flow to the tooth. If that’s damaged, you can get a “dead” tooth. Since there’s no longer regular blood flow, the tooth becomes gray. Certain medications can stain the teeth, as can too much fluoride as a child when these permanent teeth are developing. The type of staining determines the way that we have to treat it.
KöR Teeth Whitening in Burke, VA
This type of whitening offers extensive in-office and take-home treatment. First, patients will begin take-home treatment. Then, after two weeks, they visit our office for a two-hour treatment.
At home, we will ask you to place the whitening gel in the refrigerator wherever possible when you whiten your teeth at home. Keeping the gel cool also keeps the active ingredients active. To begin at-home treatment, brush your teeth, wash your hands, and apply the desensitizer. If you are whitening your teeth for the first time, apply the desensitizer after you whiten. Place whitening gel evenly on the tooth areas in the trays, except for the last tooth or molar. Gently push the trays back against the teeth.
After each treatment, clean the trays with cool tap water and a Q-tip. We will instruct you on how long to wear your trays daily to get your desired results.
During in-office treatment, we place a highly concentrated gel on the teeth. This gel and the at-home gel in the take-home trays lift pigments from the tooth enamel. KöR uses sealed trays to keep saliva from affecting the whitening gel. Saliva can minimize the effectiveness of active ingredients, which is often why other whitening options are often not as effective. KöR-Seal™ trays provide hours of whitening instead of only 20 or 30 minutes.
Other Whitening Solutions
If you have certain kinds of tooth discoloration, traditional teeth whitening methods might not work. This is especially true for discoloration caused by trauma, medications, or fluoride. We have to turn to other methods in these cases. Usually, we recommend dental bonding or porcelain veneers because they cover the entire tooth. We can customize both options so that they’re the shade of white that you desire.
Porcelain veneers are a more permanent solution. They’re thin dental ceramic shells covering the front and sides of your teeth. A small amount of tooth structure is removed before we place them so that they lay flush with the rest of your teeth. Because of this structure removal, you’ll always have to have a restoration on this tooth. If the veneer starts to stain or discolor, we must replace it with a new one.
Dental bonding is a temporary solution. Because of this, it’s a more affordable option. Porcelain veneers can last 10-15 years or more, while dental bonding usually lasts 3-10 years. It’s completely removable and reversible, making it an ideal solution even for children. Like porcelain veneers, bonding material doesn’t respond to traditional whitening treatments. If your bonding material stains, we’ll remove and replace it.
Request a Dental Consultation
Do you want a brighter, whiter smile? Contact Smiles by Mia today for professional teeth whitening treatment at (571) 789-1265. You can also schedule a dental appointment with our team on our website. If you have questions about your whitening options, please ask. We are dedicated to helping patients achieve the smile of their dreams.