How much can a tooth be whitened?
How white an individual tooth can become from bleaching
and whitening is a common question. Some whitening procedures claim they can whiten your
teeth by up to nine shades, but that is highly unlikely. A change of two or three shades
will make a significant difference in just about anyone's smile. There is no one standard
system in the dental field to measure and determine tooth color. However, the Vita shade
guide is the most used. This guide divides individual tooth color into four basic shade
ranges:
A (reddish brown)
B (reddish yellow)
C (gray)
D (reddish gray).
In the A range there are five levels of darkness. Ranges B, C and D,
each have four levels.
Not all of your teeth are the same natural color. As strange as it may sound, usually your
eye teeth are darker than the others, and your front teeth are almost always the whitest,
and molars tend to be a shade between those two. When your cosmetic dentist is whitening
one particular tooth, they will take this into account. The goal for everyone is to
achieve an overall whiteness while still looking natural. During your first consultation
for tooth whitening, your dentist will go over what you personally can expect for your
specific smile. How a white tooth will become will vary from person to person. The
structure of your tooth and the type of procedure implemented will affect the outcome.
The following chart will give you some idea of what to expect. As everyone's circumstances
are different, options should be further discussed with your cosmetic dentist prior to
making a decision. Most people are not seeking a gradual whitening of an individual tooth.
The laser whitening procedure affords the cosmetic dentist the needed control and the
patient the instant results sought.
| Procedure: |
Usually Lasts For: |
May Cause During and
Shortly After Procedure: |
Time for Procedure: |
Changes in Shade: |
Average Cost: |
| Laser |
12 - 18 Months |
Minor Discomfort |
2 - 3 Hours |
7 - 8 |
$ 300. |
Next: What
causes tooth discoloration?
- Introduction to tooth whitening
- How much can a tooth be whitened?
- What causes a tooth to become
discolored?
- Procedure description: cosmetic tooth whitening (bleaching)
- What types of tooth whitening are there?
- How much does tooth whitening cost?
- What are the pros and cons of the procedure?
- Before and after photos - tooth whitening
- Personal stories from bleaching patients
- Discuss tooth whitening on the Cosmetic Dentistry Message
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