Professional Teeth Whitening Candidates

Making the decision to have your teeth whitened is not a simple one. You may be embarrassed by your smile, lacking in self-confidence, and want to make a change. The only thing holding you back from deciding to move forward may be the question regarding whether or not you would be a good candidate for teeth whitening. The first step in knowing for sure is to make an appointment with your dentist for an evaluation. Here are some things to consider when making your decision to go forward with improving your smile with the teeth whitening procedure.

Are you in any need of important dental work, such as fillings or extractions?

If so, then you would need to have those oral health needs taken care of before you are considered a good candidate for teeth whitening. When you see your cosmetic dentist, he will evaluate your current dental health and determine if you need treatment prior to undergoing teeth whitening.

How are your daily dental habits?

If you aren't good about keeping up with brushing and flossing, you may want to develop those good habits before having any cosmetic dental work done. Having good dental habits is important in keeping any kind of improvements at their best for as long as possible. When it comes to teeth whitening, you will want to make sure to maintain the newly whitened teeth with brushing and flossing. This will keep the results looking great longer.

Have you had any dental work done in the front of your mouth?

Most tooth-colored fillings, bonding, and porcelain veneer materials will not change in color with treatments used in teeth whitening. Your cosmetic dentist will evaluate your past dental work and let you know what results you may be able to achieve before proceeding with the treatment.

Are you willing to continue with future appointments to maintain your results?

Teeth whitening is not usually a one-time procedure, but may require more appointments in order to maintain your results. Your cosmetic dentist can let you know how often you will need to have a treatment, and what type of results you can expect to see from keeping up with the suggested treatment plan.