How can we help you?
At the Vinton, VA dental office of Dr. Zachary Law, we strive to keep our patients educated and informed about the importance of proper oral health habits. We've found that patients who are well-informed and feel confident in their knowledge about their oral health have better outcomes, and we know that you want the best results possible from your dental care.
Your questions are important to us, and no question is ever too small. We are happy to answer your questions about our practice, the services we provide, your home-care routine, or dentistry in general.
We will take the time to explain the benefits of our services to help you make appropriate decisions about your oral health care. For your convenience, we've listed a few of the questions we hear most often from our patients, but please don't hesitate to contact our office at (540) 342-4945 if your question isn't listed here or you would like more information. A helpful member of our team will be happy to help you get the answers you need.
We are here to help, and we look forward to hearing from you!
Teeth Whitening
We offer both customized take-home kits and professional in-office teeth whitening treatment. Depending on your needs, it may also be appropriate to combine both methods. Which approach we choose depends a lot on your whitening goals and timeframe.
Professional teeth whitening at our Vinton dental office can provide results in just one office visit. But the advantage of a take-home kit is that you can control the amount of time you devote to whitening and the results you’d like to achieve.
Whitening at home with a professional kit is easy. First, we will spend a little time talking to you about your goals so that we can be sure a take-home kit will provide the results you’re looking for.
Once we decide that this type of whitening will work best for you, we will take impressions of your teeth and create custom-made whitening trays. The advantage of professional take-home kits is that a custom whitening tray is designed to fit your teeth perfectly, permitting the whitening gel to cover all surfaces of your teeth evenly.
Your first step is to schedule a dental cleaning and exam at our Vinton dental office. Starting off with clean, healthy teeth can make a big difference in the results of your whitening treatment. Please give us a call, and we will be happy to arrange an appointment.
There are two basic types of teeth whitening. How they work depends on whether you use a professional take-home kit or choose a professional cleaning done right here in our Vinton dental office.
Professional Take-Home Whitening Kits – As the name implies, professional take-home whitening kits can be used at your pace in your own home. Simply place the prescribed whitening gel in the custom-made trays for the required time each day.
Take-home whitening kits supplied by your dentist provide whitening results far superior to those achieved using kits purchased at your local grocery store. The professional kit your dentist supplies contains bleaching gel with a higher concentration of whitening agent than that found in over-the-counter kits. A professional take-home whitening kit also includes a custom-made tray that ensures complete contact with all surfaces of your teeth for even and consistent results.
Normally the trays are worn for 15 or 20 minutes a day for about two weeks for best results. Your Vinton dentist will instruct you on the proper way to use the kit to achieve the desired results.
Professional Teeth Whitening – The main advantage of professional whitening done here at the office is that it can be done in one appointment in less than an hour. Your dentist applies a special gel to your gums to protect them from the whitening agent.
A special light is then used to "cure" the gel to achieve the best results. Professional teeth whitening can lighten your teeth by about six to eight shades. Results with home whitening are comparable, but take longer to achieve.
If your teeth have started to become dull and discolored over time, you are not alone! This is a question we hear a lot at our Vinton dental office. The short answer is that, as we age, it is natural for our teeth to lose the youthful brightness we used to enjoy.
This happens for a number of reasons. A lifetime of poor oral health care can definitely take its toll on the brightness of your smile. Brushing and flossing is not just important for your oral health, it also helps to keep your teeth looking clean and fresh.
Tobacco use is one of the worst things for your teeth (in addition to all its other dangers.) Prolonged use of tobacco over many years will cause your teeth to become stained and yellow.
The aging process affects a lot of things, and your teeth are no exception. Over time, your tooth enamel starts to become porous, developing microscopic holes that attract food debris, which can cause your teeth to look dull and discolored.
Certain food and drink like coffee, tea, red wine, cola drinks, and dark foods like berries can all seep into your dental enamel. The result is teeth with stains that are impossible to remove by brushing alone.
However, at our Vinton dental office we have teeth whitening options that can restore your beautiful smile. Please contact us for more information.