The Facts About Laser Tooth Whitening
It seems these days that everyone wants to have a glistening white smile. Teeth that have gradually gotten darker over the years they'd like shiny and white practically overnight.
What causes dingy teeth in the first place? Teeth tend to become darker as we age, which is due to the changed in the mineral structure of the teeth.
The enamel becomes less porous, and holds stains from smoking, drinking dark beverages like wine and coffee, and bacterial pigments. These can be mitigated by visiting your dentist twice a year for cleanings, and flossing and using a whitening toothpaste every day. If teeth are sensitive, one can use the whitening toothpaste just once a day, and a less harsh toothpaste alternate times.
When one wants a brighter smile than do-it-yourself options can provide, one great choice is Laser Tooth Whitening. Laser Tooth Whitening is done in a cosmetic dentist's office, one who is specially trained and has the highly expensive Laser Tooth Whitening "LaserSmileT Diode Laser."
How the LaserSmile System Works
The method of using the LaserSmile laser Tooth Whitening System is simple. It uses a hydrogen peroxide-based bleaching gel. The gel for the laser tooth whitening comes ready to use, pre-packaged. It is 37% hydrogen peroxide and has a pH of about 7.
The LaserSmileT diode laser emits a certain spectrum of light - specifically, between 798 and 815nm, which is near infrared on the elsecromagnetic spectrum. This particular wavelength is what "photo-activates" the LaserSmile whitener, and that increases the efficiency of the whitening process.
Some people are concerned that there might be a heat emitted with the laser, too. Actually, there isn't, because only a few teeth are exposed at a time and it is for only about 15 seconds at a time. Each tooth only gets a total of 2 to 4 minutes of laser contact during the process.
Laser tooth whitening is not inexpensive. However, "you get what you pay for" is an apt phrase, as most people are very happy with the results they get from having laser tooth whitening. How long will the teeth stay white? Unfortunately, white teeth don't stay white forever. People who continue to eat and drink the foods and beverages that tend to cause staining may see the whiteness begin fading in as little as a month, even with laser tooth whitening, though generally it is several months to a year before another treatment or touch up to the whiteness of the teeth is needed.
