Archive for the ‘Teeth Whitening’ Category

In our Shelby Township Michigan dental office we have a few methods that we use to whiten teeth.

Bleaching or whitening of teeth is performed basically by the breaking down of large stain molecules that penetrate the micro cracks in the enamel.  These large molecules actually absorb light and the larger the molecule the more light is absorbed making the tooth look darker.  The goal is therefore to break the molecule into smaller molecules which give the appearance of having whiter teeth.  The active ingredient in the bleach is a peroxide agent which contains free radicals.  These free radicals are very unstable agents.   The more unstable they are the more active they become.  The problem is how to preserve the “punch” that they have when applied to the teeth.  Most bleaching products are preserved in an acidic solution which has the potential of making the teeth sensitive.  The alternative route that the Kor Deep bleaching system uses is to refrigerate their products from manufacturing, shipping and even storage at the dental office.  This method makes it much more powerful of a bleaching agent, yet is formulated because of its neutral pH to be kinder to the teeth and much more effective.  This also makes it more expensive of a product because of the handling and actual cost to purchase by the dentist.  Because of the scientific nature developed by the Kor system it is extremely effective even on tetracycline stained teeth with very little sensitivity.

For both the Kor Deep Bleaching system and the Zoom! you get a sustained and long term result by bleaching at home with the plastic trays.  Both of these systems use the “in office” step/steps using very strong peroxides to jump start the process but need whitening at home for it to last.  Because both “in office” systems require office chair time and home trays they are about double the price of home whitening.

At The Gentle Dentist office in Macomb county Michigan we are very detailed with making the bleaching trays.  All of the methods require a precisely fitting tray which ends exactly at the gum line.  If you have trays that are cut straight across which covers the gums it will burn your gums, making your teeth very painful.  This is the level of detail we work at to give  you the best result possible no matter which bleaching technique you choose.

• Home bleaching is the method most popular in our office and we use the night/day white system by Discuss dental.  This is used on people who have little to no thermal sensitivity to their teeth and want an effective product that costs the least.  We charge $325 for this.
• Zoom! whitening.  I have this available, but because of the sensitivity issues that can come along with this I don’t use it that often.  The light has been shown to be not that effective compared with using the bleaching product alone.  The results are fast but must be followed up with the home whitening trays for a couple of weeks to have the sustained results.  This method is $450 at the office.
• Kor Deep bleaching is in a category of its own as described above.  This includes 2 in office procedures, home trays, desensitizer .  This method also comes with a money back guarantee which is endorsed by the company.  This method is $997 at the office and can create the most dramatic results you can imagine even on tetracycline stained teeth.  If you consider the cost of a single veneer is about the same as this but  you end up with an entire mouth of significantly whiter teeth without pain and then isn’t that a great deal!

If you have any questions about this you can email Dr. Antolak at www.DrAntolak@TheGentleDentist.com, call the office at (586)247-3500 or visit our web site at www.TheGentleDentist.com.

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We are also locate at 15055 22 Mile #2, Shelby Twp, MI 48315

The use of Cosmetic porcelain veneers is a very common way that many Michigan residents choose to enhance their smiles.  Porcelain veneers are thin shells of beautiful porcelain that is fabricated in a dental laboratory.  They are about the thickness of a credit card and are very fragile when handled.  When they are bonded to the natural tooth they become incredibly strong and are about as strong as your natural teeth.  Every attempt is to keep the shaping of the teeth as conservative as possible.   Lumineers are a name brand for a type of porcelain and placing them on teeth gives a natural look.

The following is an example what laminate veneers are used for:

• Straightening crooked teeth by filling in the areas that are pushed in and in areas where the teeth are protruding slightly more tooth reduction is necessary.  The idea is to get the teeth to look uniform when looking at someone straight on or to the side.
• Darkened teeth can be made whiter.  This is done by reducing some of the thickness of the natural tooth and thickening it up with whiter porcelain.  The same principle applies when Formica is placed over a kitchen top.  Any malformations are covered up by this thin film so no one will know the difference.
• Missing teeth can be filled in with a fixed bridge made of the same porcelain as the veneer.  This is a very natural and conservative approach to a beautiful smile when a tooth is missing.
• To close spaces between teeth.  This is very common and by making the tooth slightly wider the spaces can be closed up, giving a beautiful result.

Porcelain veneers last many many years, are conservative, keep the teeth the same bright white color and don’t stain like bonding.  Call Shelby Township, Michigan Cosmetic Dentist, Dr. Antolak at (586)247-3500 for a free dental consultation to see if porcelain veneers are right for you.

Question: I have a tremendous amount of fear when it comes to going to the dentist.    It has gotten to the point where I have to go and don’t know what to do.  Help!!!!

Answer:  You and many other patients come in to see us with this exact problem.  Past visits at the dentist have in some circumstances “paralyzed”  patients with hear and then put off appointments for years.  These bad and usually very traumatic experiences can stay with people for decades.  In fact I saw a patient the other day who was in his 80s and he could remember every detail of a visit when he was a child that kept him from visiting the dentist for over 60 years.

Modern dentistry has responded to these issues to make visits much more comfortable.  For example, we use sedation to put people in a state where they have no memory of their procedure and are very relaxed when they get to the office.  It also allows for them to get many procedures done at one visit so they don’t have to continually return to our office.  Another option is to watch a movie on our virtual reality glasses.  Dental procedures fly by while you watch your favorite movie.

It is critical to have dental procedures pain free.  Anesthetics properly administered do a wonderful job in controlling pain and therefore anxiety, which means injecting slowly with compassion using topical anesthetic before the injection eliminates the prick from an injection.

Because fear comes from a loss of control it is very important that you are in complete control of the procedure and have a way of stopping if you need a break or are in pain and in need of additional anesthesia.

Anxiety arises from fear of the unknown and when you are expecting pain the anxiety even heightens even more.  It is also very helpful if all of your questions are answered when you need additional information.

At TheGentleDentist.com we take the time to know our patients to the point where they feel comfortable because it is like seeing an old friend.  These relationships are important and can’t be stressed enough.

Please don’t let your bad experiences affect your present condition. Modern dentistry emphasizes prevention over all other things so do yourself a favor and don’t delay this any longer.   You will be amazed at how easy and user friendly dental care can be.  Also don’t be embarrassed if you haven’t been to a dentist in years and are afraid of past judgments from the dentist.   A modern dentist will help you look forward to your future care and would never lecture you.