After spending months getting their teeth straightened with braces, many people like to go that one step further and see if they can make their new smile even better with teeth whitening or cosmetic bonding.
It makes sense, after putting in all that effort, to ensure your teeth are as perfect as you want them to be. There are a number of ways to do this, especially if your teeth have suffered damage such as staining or chipping that your braces couldn’t ‘cure’.
Tooth Whitening
Professional bleaching is the popular way to get rid of discolouration on the teeth and our dentists at the Straight Teeth Suite in Nottingham will be able to advise if this is the best method for you. It’s a simple, pain free way of getting whiter teeth and removing those stains that have gathered over time.
The most common process is called dentist supervised home whitening where you have specially fitted trays produced that are placed in your mouth like gum shields. You will be able to take these home where a whitening gel is used to bleach the surface of the teeth. The shields can be worn overnight and gradually lighten the colour of your teeth to make your smile brighter.
Another option is chair-side whitening which is undertaken at the dentists. Your dentist will put a rubber shield or a gel over your gums to protect them and then apply a whitening product to your teeth, again using a specially made tray. The whitening product has either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which both work by allowing oxygen to get into the enamel and dentine of the teeth. Application of this process causes the tooth colour to become lighter.
Whitening can last up to three years but it often depends on your personal habits. If you smoke, or drink products that stain your teeth (like red wine, tea and coffee), the effect may not last as long.
Dental Bonding
Another option is to use cosmetic bonding to complete that perfect smile after braces.
Bonding is often used to correct the shape of the teeth, improving jagged, pointy, worn or chipped edges. Over time our teeth can be damaged from chewing nails, eating the wrong food or just from acid corrosion as a result of having fruit or carbonated drinks. The older you get the more likely your teeth are to have signs of wear and tear.
Bonding uses a specially made resin that is applied to the surface of your tooth and can be shaped by an expert dentist to restore it to its original glory. This process can also be used to close the gaps between teeth or make them appear slightly longer.
Under the eye of a qualified cosmetic dentist it’s possible to add the finishing touches to your teeth once those braces come off and at the Straight Teeth Suite in Nottingham Leicester and Loughborough there are a variety of choices.
Whether you decide on dental bonding or teeth whitening, or both, we’ll be able to give you the best advice and ensure that you leave with a perfect smile.
Tags: braces, cosmetic bonding, dental bonding, straight teeth suite nottingham, streight teeth suite teeth braces nottingham, tooth whitening