The Power of a Bright Smile

Your desire for a whiter smile is about more than just your dental health. It’s also about your self-confidence. At Bryan G. Foote, DDS, we have established a channel for safe, efficient, and scientifically superior professional teeth whitening procedures that are sure to leave you glowing inside and out.

Why Professional Whitening is the Superior Choice

The shelves of all pharmacies are covered with over-the-counter whitening strips, toothpastes, and kits; all promising a radical outcome. However, they produce inferior results, causing irritation of the gums and uneven whitening. When you want to have a better experience than over-the-counter whitening, go to Dr. Foote and get the professional whitening results you really want:

• More Rapid and Efficient Results Dramatically. Our professional-grade whitening agents are more potent and applied accurately, and in most cases, lighten the teeth several shades within a single home use.
• Full Customization. Molds of your teeth are made and used to produce custom trays. This ensures uniform coverage, maximizes the time of contact with the whitening gel, and safeguards vulnerable gum tissue.
• Expert Oversight and Safety. Identifying our trained staff, the process is directed by Dr. Foote. Before sending you home with the kit, we evaluate your oral health and follow up on the treatment, as well as make sure that you feel safe and comfortable at all times.
• Long-lasting, even whitening. Since our process is more complete, the results are more profound and long-lived. The final result will be a homogeneously whitened and cheerful smile.

Understanding Yellowing & Stains

The only way to whiten teeth is to understand what causes the discoloration in the first place. There are two common types of stains, extrinsic and intrinsic stains.

Extrinsic Stains

These are superficial stains that lie on the surface of your tooth enamel. They are primarily attributed to pigments contained in the foods and beverages we consume, as well as lifestyle habits. Common culprits include:

• Coffee, tea, and red wine
• Cola and dark fruit juices
• Smoking or eating tobacco (smoking or chewing).
• Foods that contain intense colorants such as soy sauce, berries, and curry.
• Poor oral health care routines that allow plaque and tartar to accumulate.

Extrinsic stains tend to respond well to a professional cleaning and whitening regimen. We can also provide you with special tips to help you control these stains in real life.

Intrinsic Stains

Intrinsic stains are present in the tooth structure, either below the enamel layer in the dentin. Surface treatments cannot be used effectively alone, as they are more effective. Intrinsic causes of staining are:

• Aging: Enamels wear away with age, exposing the yellowish dentin.
• Drugs: The use of some antibiotics -tetracycline- taken when children grow teeth can result in the formation of deep gray or brown bands.
• Dental trauma: Injury may darken a tooth with the reaction of the interior nerve.
• Inappropriate use of fluoride: White spots or streaks may be formed by high levels of fluoride when the teeth form (fluorosis).
• Genetic aspects: Some people have thicker, brighter, or more opaque enamel.

Intrinsic stains tend to be more persistent and require a longer whitening procedure. In some cases, we may also recommend considering other cosmetic options, such as veneers or resin bonding, to help you achieve the desired effect.

Your Invitation to a Confident Smile

You have a right to smile with confidence. At Bryan G. Foote, DDS, we integrate the latest dental technology with a friendly, patient-centered attitude. We are proud to serve Columbia, MO and the communities of Boone County. Make the first step to a brighter, whiter, more brilliant smile.

Call us now to book your own teeth whitening appointment.