Many teens want whiter teeth. Talk
to your kids’ dentist about
bleaching as an option to make your child’s smile really stand out. This is
usually considered by parents after their children have tried whitening
toothpastes or have changed their diets to help whiten their teeth. The
darkening of teeth can also occur because of injury or something else that
could be wrong with the teen physically, so it may also be the sign of
something else that should be checked out medically. Once this is done,
bleaching can be handled in a number of different ways.
IN-OFFICE BLEACHING
In-office bleaching at your kids’ dentist is the
most reliable choice for a fast result, but likely the most expensive,
depending on your insurance coverage. A concentrated bleaching agent is applied
to your child’s teeth and is activated with heat or light. It usually takes
about an hour for this whole bleaching process to take place and most patients
need as many as four visits for this to be truly effective on stained teeth. A
children’s dentist can also focus on specific teeth, so that not all the teeth
are bleached but only one in particular to match the bright shade of the rest. Bleaching with trays (at home bleaching) is
recommended afterwards to maintain the desired shade of the teeth.
AT HOME BLEACHING
Another method is a bleaching
kit that a kids’ dentist can
give you to use at home. An impression (mold) is taken of the child’s teeth and
then made into a tray for bleaching gel. The child then wears the tray filled
with bleaching gel for a set period of time over the course of a week or two.
This is best for children who have all their teeth, such as teens. Performing
teeth whitening at home can also be cheaper, but more risky as it can be done
improperly. However, the side effects from it are relatively minimal.
For more information on
bleaching teeth, check out the AAPD website or contact us at Playtime Dental. We'd love to help you and your child pick the best whitening option for you.
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