San Ramon Cosmetic Dentistry Blog | Sean Michael Anderson, D.D.S.

San Ramon, Pleasanton, Walnut Creek and Dublin, CA

Friday, November 20, 2009

How Long Does the Tooth Whitening Process Last?

Everyone wants a whiter, more brilliant smile. A whiter smile can help improve your self confidence, help you feel more comfortable and relaxed in social and business settings, and give you a greater sense of freedom. With tooth whitening options ranging from take-home kits to in-office procedures however, it can be difficult to determine what solution is best for you. One determining factor is cost, but greater still is the length of time the whitening will last. Cost can, after all, be greatly increased if frequent applications are necessary to keep your smile its whitest.

Store Bought Kits

Easily the most accessible, store bought whitening kits also offer the least satisfactory results. Some kits can take weeks to start working, and during this time may cause severe tooth sensitivity. The results are also not nearly as long lasting as options provided by Dr. Anderson. Store bought kits generally provide whiter teeth for only a few months, after which the long, painful process will need to be repeated.

Professional Take-Home Kits

Take-home kits offered by Dr. Anderson start with a mold of your teeth. This already makes them superior for total tooth coverage to the strips you can buy at the store. Additionally, the whitening gel provided by Dr. Anderson is a higher strength than can obtained over the counter and produces results in a much shorter period of time. Like store-bought kits, tooth sensitivity is possible. Take-home kit results generally last up to six months.

In-Office Whitening

In-office tooth whitening takes about 90 minutes. A whitening gel is evenly and carefully applied to the teeth and then activated using a special light to speed up and enhance the effects. The result is a brilliant white smile in a comparably short period of time. Like the professional take-home kits, in office whitening generally lasts about six months, but with a proper oral hygiene routine, including professional cleanings and touch ups, the results can last much longer.

If you live in San Ramon, Danville, or Livermore, California, and would like more information on your options for professional teeth whitening, please contact experienced tooth whitening dentist Dr. Sean Anderson to schedule your free consultation.

posted by Tiffany at 3:14 PM

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Inlays and Onlays: What’s the Difference?

Inlays and onlays are modern solutions to traditional metal fillings. They are bonded to the teeth with dental resin, making them a permanent part of the tooth. Metal fillings require a large portion of healthy tooth tissue to be removed in order to be packed into the filling, but inlays and onlays cover, rather than pack the filling, making them less invasive while removing the potential for their falling out.

Metal fillings react to temperature differences in your mouth – hot and cold liquids and foods can cause them to expand and contract. The result can be disastrous when the filling falls out, sometimes taking part of the tooth with it.

Inlays

Inlays are smaller than onlays due their placement. Inlay refers to a filling within the grooves of you teeth, between the contours. This area of your teeth is referred to as the “cusp.” If the damage does not extend beyond the cusp, an inlay will be used.

Onlays

Onlays are also used to fill in the grooves of your teeth, but wrap over the cusp. This additional coverage allows them to protect the chewing surface of your tooth as well as the cusp, and is used when the decay has spread beyond the cusp area of your tooth. Onlays are necessarily larger because they cover a greater portion of your tooth.

Both inlays and onlays are preferable to metal fillings because they offer more secure and aesthetically pleasing results. Porcelain fillings match more closely the natural color and shape of your teeth. Additionally, porcelain is stain resistant, allowing your teeth to maintain their whiteness for a longer period of time while preventing further decay within the tooth.

If you live in San Ramon, Danville, or Livermore, California, please contact experienced cosmetic dentist Dr. Sean Anderson for a checkup and cleaning to determine if you require fillings. Dr. Anderson is able to serve all of your dental needs, including inlays and onlays.

posted by Tiffany at 3:05 PM

925.269.2700

Sean Michael Anderson, D.D.S
Neuromuscular & Aesthetic Cosmetic Dentistry

1501 Bollinger Canyon Road Suite G
San Ramon, CA 94583

Disclaimer: San Ramon, CA cosmetic dentist Dr. Sean Anderson's website only provides information on cosmetic dentistry, neuromuscular dentistry, and family dentistry in Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Pleasanton , Walnut Creek
and the San Ramon area south of San Francisco. This information is not to be taken as medical advice.
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