Spring is upon us and it’s that time of year when many brides and grooms are busy making and finalizing their plans for the big day – their wedding!  Although during these times of Covid-19 our celebrations may look a little different and be a little more intimate in size, there’s no doubt that brides and grooms will still want to preserve the memory of their special day with professional photos, selfies and videos.  While there’s lots on everyone’s plate to get done to make sure your wedding photos are picture perfect and preserve your special memories, Dr. Dirk Thompson, our Calgary dentist, reminds you that another important element not to be overlooked is your smile! 

Here are some great tips from our Calgary dentist on how you can make sure that your smile shines on your big day and beyond!

Brighten and Whiten Your Smile

Planning a wedding is not easy! Perhaps you’ve been enjoying more coffee, tea or cola lately while planning your wedding and finalizing both the big and small details that will make your day the wedding of your dreams (at least as much as possible during Covid).  Although coffee, tea and cola may have given you a well-deserved energy boost, you may find that they have left your teeth yellow and stained and needing a little brightening up.  At our Calgary dentist office, Advance Your Health Dental, our Calgary dentist is pleased to offer several types of teeth whitening to suit your oral healthcare needs, your budget, and your timeline.   Here are some types of professional teeth whitening systems recommended by our Calgary dentist.

In-Office Whitening

At our Calgary dentist office, we offer in-office whitening which can be completed in approximately two short hours.  This teeth whitening system is in gel form.  At your appointment, after protecting your gums with a special medium, the gel will be carefully applied by our dental assistant on each tooth individually.  According to our Calgary dentist, one of the benefits of in-office whitening is that, because a professional strength whitening formula is used, it can provide immediate whitening results of three to four shades or more whiter.  This type of quick, dramatic whitening generally cannot be achieved with over-the-counter whitening kits as the whitening agents that are used at a dentist office are not available for purchase over-the-counter and must be supervised by a dentist or dental professional.  According to our Calgary dentist, although some patients can develop some sensitivity during the in-office whitening procedure, our dentist finds that most patients tolerate this procedure quite well with no issues.

Take-Home Whitening

In addition to teeth whitening done at the office, our Calgary dentist also offers custom made whitening trays with a professional dental strength whitening formula.  The benefit of a custom-made whitening tray is that it fits perfectly to your teeth, unlike generic teeth whitening moulds that can be purchased at a drugstore.

These teeth whitening trays can be worn at any time of the day.  If you are planning to whiten your teeth for your wedding using a take-home teeth professional whitening system, our Calgary dentist recommends that you plan ahead as, for most patients, the best results are seen after approximately four to five (or more depending upon the patient) separate applications.  To maintain the level of whiteness achieved, periodic repeated applications will be necessary as, over time, your teeth will again begin to stain and yellow, particularly if you are a coffee, tea or cola drinker.

One of the main benefits of having your teeth professionally whitened and brightened under the supervision of our dentist is that you are not taking any risks with the safety of the tooth whitening product, which may be a concern for some teeth whitening products found at online sources.  You can also by assured of the teeth whitening products efficacy so that you do not waste any time or money on teeth whitening products that do not work or work but with minimal whitening results.

If you have any questions about which teeth whitening system would be best for your smile, make an appointment with our Calgary dentist team and we would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

Finessing Your Smile

In addition to whitening and brightening your smile, you may wish to consider other cosmetic dentistry options that can help restore the brightness of your smile or enhance the shape or symmetry of your teeth and smile.

One of these options is dental bonding by our Calgary dentist.  Essentially, dental bonding is a composite resin material which is artfully and skillyfully placed and shaped by our Calgary dentist to fill in chips or cosmetic cracks in your teeth, or even reshape or alter the size of your teeth. Once applied, our Calgary dentist will use a curing light to harden the composite resin (a tooth-coloured filling material), making it a relatively long-lasting cosmetic solution for most patients.  With dental bonding, a tooth-coloured filling material that matches the shade of your natural enamel is chosen so that the tooth-coloured filling material blends with your natural tooth enamel colour, thereby creating a seamless and beautiful cosmetic result.  Composite bonding is a great choice not only because it is generally completed from start to finish by our Calgary dentist in one short visit, but it also because it is quite budget friendly for most people.

Straightening Your Smile

Crooked or misaligned teeth can detract from the natural beauty of your face and smile.  For patients who wish to straighten crooked teeth, braces may be their best option.  However, for patients who only have slightly crooked or misaligned teeth, there are other options available that have the added benefit of being a much quicker process than traditional braces.

Although tooth bonding can be a relatively quick and inexpensive way to create symmetry to a smile or enhance the appearance of your smile, sometimes the concerns with your smile cannot be adequately addressed by our Calgary dentist with tooth bonding but don’t require the time commitment of braces.  In these cases, our Calgary dentist can recommend other types of dental treatment such as crowns or veneers.

Often referred to as “instant orthodontics”, veneers are a thin shell of porcelain that are bonded to your front of your teeth which can alter the size, shape, colour or alignment of your teeth.   For most patients, the whole process of having veneers placed on your teeth by our dentist in Calgary takes between two to three visits, depending upon a variety of factors, including the number of veneers.  Although veneers are a great option for many patients, there are limitations as well as risks and benefits with every dental procedure.  Before making a decision to proceed with any cosmetic dentistry treatment, our Calgary dentist will review with you all of the risks and benefits of each treatment type to make sure you fully understand the process and all of your expectations are met.

Keep Your Smile Healthy!

The last, but certainly not the least important thing you can do to make your smile photo ready for your wedding day is to make an appointment with our Calgary dentist for a dental cleaning and a dental check-up.  Regular check-ups and cleanings with our Calgary dentist and dental hygienist will help to make sure that your smile is as healthy as possible because a healthy smile is always a beautiful smile!

Show Off Your Smile!

Our hope is that having the beautiful smile you have always dreamed of will help give you the confidence your need to smile not only on your big day but every day.  Whether it is for a dental cleaning and check-up with our hygienist and Calgary dentist, or for more extensive cosmetic dentistry, our Calgary dentist is here to help you achieve the smile of your dreams.  So go ahead, SMILE!  And congratulations from our Calgary dentist on your impending nuptials.  The entire dentist team at Advance Your Health Dental wishes you and your spouse the wedding of your dreams! 

Please be advised that this blog post by our Calgary dentist, Dr. Dirk Thompson, D.D.S., is for informational purposes only.  It is not to be taken or used as a substitute for dental, medical or other professional advice, treatment or diagnosis.  Always ask your dentist, physician or other healthcare professional for advice before altering your diet or healthcare routine.  Individual patient needs and oral healthcare concerns vary so please consult your dentist for more informtion about your specific dental health requirements.

Copyright: Dirk A. Thompson Professional Corporation operating as Advance Your Health Dental.  Dr. Dirk A. Thompson, D.D.S., is a general dentist in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

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