Your teeth get darker overtime because they absorb the stain from the colored foods and drinks. The blemish, also called extrinsic stain, is embedded in the enamel layer and gives the teeth the yellow hue. No matter how hard you brush, the stain is not going away.

Based on our experiences, the most effective and safest way to remove the extrinsic stain off your teeth is to have them "bleached" by your dentist. Before beginning the process, the dentist needs to evaluate your teeth to find out the dark color of your teeth actually comes from extrinsic stain. Other causes of discoloration include amalgam leakage, internal tooth resorption, tetracycline stain, cavity, and traumatic pulpal necrosis. These intrinsic stains require different treatment modalities to correct.

Two modes of bleaching are available in most cosmetic dental offices. They are the in-office laser (power) bleaching and home (walking) bleaching. The laser bleaching offers immediate satisfaction; however, it cannot whiten your the to the max. The home bleaching takes time to work; yet, it will make your teeth as white as they can be. The fee for either of the treatment modality is the same, around 350-400 dollars for all teeth.

The in-office laser bleaching includes three steps:

1. Isolation of the teeth with either a rubber dam or a quick dam.

2. Application of a concentrated hydrogen peroxide product on the tooth surface.

3. Heating the medication with a laser light or the equivalent for 1-hour.

The home bleaching includes four steps:

1. Taking an impression of your teeth to build custom bleaching tray.

2. Fitting the tray to your teeth and getting the medications with the instructions.

3. Wearing the tray with the medication for several hours each day for about one week.

4. Follow-up evaluation after one week by your dentist.

The best whitening technique our dentist recommends is the combination of these two. This combined technique comprises of an in-office laser bleaching to "jump-start" the process and a home bleaching to continue the process until your teeth get pearly white. The combined approach gives you the immediate satisfaction as well as the whiteness your teeth deserve.

Over-the-counter bleaching kits are not safe and effective for several reasons. First, our teeth discoloration has not been precisely diagnosed. Second, the treatment cannot be checked by a dentist and you can under or overdo it. Third, the boil-out bleaching trays are not customized to your teeth, and therefore they cannot hold the bleaching medication in the right places. Finally, to increase the shelf life, most of the over- the-counter products have acidic preservatives, which can harm your teeth.

Picture yourself having all the privileges because you have an attractive winning smile for the rest of your life. The secret is to whiten your teeth. Please contact your dentist office so that you can have your white teeth right away.