Recent News and Articles on the Keywords: whitening + bleaching + and  Related to the article below (Last Update: 8/7/2008)

Don't go overboard in quest for whiter teeth Chicago Tribune, United States - Jul 22, 2008 In the fiscal year ending June 15, Americans spent more than $200 million on whitening strips, brightening toothpastes and bleaching gels, according to ... Corals may not recover from bleaching SINDH TODAY, Pakistan - Aug 4, 2008 ... like high or low water temperatures, the symbiotic zooxanthellae are expelled from their host, causing a whitening of the coral tissue or bleaching. ... Bleached Chicks: Are You the Fairest of Them All? American Chronicle, CA - Jul 28, 2008 Bleaching products offer exaggerated sales pitches that using skin whitening products will outrightly turn your uneven rough skin and dark blemishes into ... Daily Mail Craze for Hollywood smile leads to emergency skin grafts for gums ... Daily Mail, UK - Aug 1, 2008 The concern is that the bleach being used is the same as high-strength bleach.' Teeth-whitening has been popularised by stars in Hollywood, where a gleaming ... Romford based dental practice - Winning Smiles - is running a free ... Response Source (press release), UK - Jul 30, 2008 Wall to wall veneers as a method of whitening smiles became a thing of the past - dental bleaching was safer (for the teeth) less invasive and a fraction of ... All white for a man Yorkshire Evening Post, UK - Jul 29, 2008 ... cent strength bleach at a more costly ?249. I also had the most expensive one-hour in-chair whitening using the LED light (ie the 'laser treatment'). ... Brighter Smiles: Bleaching at the mall Georgetown Record, MA - Jul 16, 2008 Some state regulators are taking action against other mall teeth whitening companies. South Carolina shut down several bleaching kiosks for practicing ... Skin-whitening adverts ignite race row in India Independent, UK - Jul 9, 2008 All in the name of skin-whitening cream. The whitening market in India is worth millions of pounds, with men as well as women routinely buying bleaching ... Teeth Whitening Kiosks CBS42, AL - Jul 28, 2008 ... which obviously bleaching is." A Mysmile district manager says the teeth whitening is safe and is a cosmetic procedure, not the practice of dentistry. ... The ?epidermalization of inferiority? Inquirer.net, Philippines - Jul 18, 2008 ... bleaching solutions. Today, there are a thousand and one lotions, soaps, and substances in the market that promise to clear, lighten, or whiten skin. ...

Cosmetic Dentistry Will Make You Smile

Introduction Are you afraid to smile? Would you rather take the picture instead of be in it, because you are too self-conscious of the color, shape, or positioning of your teeth? Are you afraid to yawn for fear of revealing all of those silver fillings?

Many of my patients think that their teeth are too dark, too crooked, overcrowded, chipped, or just misshapen. They want that "Hollywood" smile, and they often bring a magazine to my office, point to the cover and say, "I want a smile just like that!"

There are a wide range of cosmetic dental enhancements available that can help you achieve the look you want. Though these enhancements are only "skin deep", they can bring you pleasure, and perhaps give your self-confidence a little boost.

Below is a general introduction to some of the latest cosmetic techniques.

• Not everyone is a candidate for bleaching, so you should be evaluated first by a dentist. One reason to check with your dentist is to ensure that you will not be sensitive to the procedure. It may be necessary to replace some older fillings with new fillings prior to the process, to avoid sensitivity. Also, because porcelain and tooth-colored fillings tend not to bleach, you may want to replace them after bleaching in order to improve aesthetics.
• Not all over-the-counter bleaching solutions are pH-balanced. Some may cause irritation of the gums.
• Bleaching can sometimes lead to sensitive teeth, which your dentist can help by changing the concentration of the solutions or administering fluoride.
• It is important to have a custom-fitted mouth guard so that the bleaching gel remains on your teeth, rather than on your gums. The combination in-office/take-home whitening procedure In this procedure, models are taken of your mouth, and a custom-fitted bleaching tray is made for you. I instruct my patients to wear the tray for a period of two weeksfor four hours each day, or they may wear it overnight. Results vary depending upon the original color and shade of your teeth (i.e., some teeth are naturally yellow, reddish-brown, or gray.)

Whitening toothpastes
Although whitening toothpastes may remove stains, I only recommend them for maintenance after the bleaching process has been completed.

Porcelain veneers
If my patients want something that is more stain-resistant and less likely to chip than bonding, I recommend porcelain veneers. Like bonding, porcelain veneers are also used to change tooth color, shape, and size. We can also use porcelain veneers to give teeth a straighter appearance and to close spaces. Porcelain veneers are thin porcelain shells that are fabricated in a dental laboratory. I often liken porcelain veneers to fake fingernails. We bond the porcelain veneers to the teeth using a special cement. Porcelain veneers are more expensive than bonding, since there is a laboratory process involved. I prefer porcelain veneers to bonding when there are several teeth involved because I can achieve a more consistent cosmetic result.

Tooth-colored fillings
Due to recent technological advances and improved materials, there are now alternatives to silver fillings. I have never had a patient thank me for a silver filling because they like the way it looks. I get more gratification and many more thanks from patients when I use tooth-colored fillings. When teeth require smaller restorations or fills, we can fill these holes in the office with a tooth-colored material (hard plastic) that is bonded to the tooth. If the filling is large, I prefer to use a tooth-colored inlay or onlay, which is custom-made in the laboratory to fit the tooth and is permanently cemented in place. If there is a considerable amount of tooth structure missing, we must crown the tooth.

Porcelain crowns (caps)
In my practice, I use both all-porcelain crowns and porcelain-fused-to-gold crowns (a gold crown that is covered by porcelain). I use porcelain to match the shade of a natural tooth. Since more light is reflected in the front of the mouth, I feel that all-porcelain crowns look more natural when restoring front teeth. Crowns are custom-made in a laboratory and are cemented in place.

Orthodontics
I work with orthodontists in our practice to straighten teeth, reduce crowding, and close spaces in order to achieve the best possible smiles. Although it often requires a much longer time frame, I often prefer orthodontics over porcelain veneers or bonding. Orthodontics may take at least two to three years to achieve the desired results. Sometimes it is necessary to use both orthodontics and bonding or veneers to achieve the best results.

Periodontics
Sometimes it is necessary to work with a periodontist (gum specialist) to alter gum tissue to enhance a patient’s smile. You may have seen at one time or another a person who will show a lot of gum when they smile.. If a person is uncomfortable with the amount of gum that shows, a periodontist can help to reduce this.

Conclusion
If you have a hankering for a smile overhaul, rest easy. There are many options available to you, and the best way to begin is to speak with your dentist. He or she can point you in the direction of a specialist who can address your concerns. And remember, everyone is entitled to a beautiful smile.