Teeth become stained for many reasons: drinking coffee, tea or wine; smoking and aging can discolor teeth. Tooth whitening is a process that makes discolored teeth whiter. The bleach used in a dental office for whitening is stronger than the bleach found in the at home whitening kits. Professional whitening is considered to be more effective than the over the counter systems.
Prior to doing whitening, you should have a consultation to make sure that you a good candidate. Whitening agents will not have an effect on crowns, veneers, bridges or any tooth colored restorations. Brownish and grayish stains are also a little more difficult for the whitening agents to remove.
Many people today are choosing tooth whitening procedures to reverse the effects of aging and the abuse of tobacco stains and food. In some cases, porcelain veneers or dental bonding may be more appropriate.