Freehold Teeth Whitening doctors
 |
Richard Champagne, DMD
Freehold Cosmetic Dentist
25 Kilmer Drive Building 3, Suite 216, Morganville |
3 answers |
Recent Answers
I've had porcelain crowns for 12 years.They have become stained due to the fact I smoke.Are there any solutions to cleaning them or will I have to have them remove?
Porcelain is very stain resistant. Typically any stain on porcelain is only on the surface and can be easily removed by your dentist or hygienist. This would be similar to the coffee ring that you can get inside your coffee cup. A little soap and water, and it comes right off!
If, for some reason, the surface has been roughened, then you will pick up stains more rapidly. In this case, your dentist may need to use a special porcelain polishing system to smoooth the surface.
Hope this helps...Dr Champagne
My top incisors have turned grey due to falling last summer and then slamming into the sidewalk. X-rays said I didn't need a root canal, (I've had no pain nor sensitivity) but I don't know what I can do about them being grey. Will Teeth whitening work and last or do I need to do something more permanent? The rest of my teeth are very white which makes this very obvious.
It is possible for your tooth to lighten with tooth whitening, but the result can be unpredictable. A tooth will darken following trauma because of hemorrhage in the center part of the tooth. This causes the pigment heme to get into the tooth structure from the inside.
An x-ray can't tell you if a tooth needs a root canal; it will only tell you if the tooth has a low grade infection that has caused bone loos around the root. Very often, the nerve will slowly die in teeth that have been severely traumatized.
You should have your dentist perform a pulp vitality test to see if the nerve is still healthy. If the nerve is not healthy, then the most predictable way to lighten these teeth is to do a root canal and then bleach the tooth from both the inside and the outside. If the teeth get lighter but still don't match, then a porcelain veneer may ultimately be needed. However, it will be much easier to get a great result with a slightly darker tooth than it will be with a significantly darker tooth.
I want to get my teeth whitened but I’m scared of hurting my gums. I’ve heard the bleaching can cause permanent damage. What’s the best choice to take for whiter teeth that doesn’t require weeks of treatments at home?
The material used in take home tooth whitening can actually be beneficial to the gums. If the tray that the material is placed in is not made properly, then it can irritate the gums, but this is generally a temporary situation.
In-office whitening uses a stronger version of the same material. The gums should get a protective barrier before the whitening material is applied because it will cause a chemical burn if it sits on the gum tissue during the entire procedure. If this occurs, the gum tissue will appear white. This can be uncomfortable, but it will generally heal in about a day.
The best results will be attained by a combination of in-office whitening followed by take home whitening with a custom made tray. I tell my patients that 90% will get a really good result, 5% will get an unbelievable result, and 5% will get a slight result.