Are you looking for a cosmetic dentist to whiten your smile or perform some other cosmetic dental surgery or procedure? It is important that you choose a cosmetic dentist carefully, because your smile is one of your most important assets. Here’re things that you should look for when choosing a cosmetic dentist and the practice before you call to schedule an initial consultation.

Check the Professional Affiliations : An experienced cosmetic dentist will belong to at least one professional association, and preferably several, including the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD). Such memberships are useful in many ways: they help the dentist stay in touch with his or her peers, keep up with the latest technology and techniques, and keep to good ethical and professional standards. Many established cosmetic dentists also belong to one or more local organizations, or sponsor local events. Even try calling your State Licensing Board to see if anyone has filed a complaint against the dentists you’re considering.

Experience is Key : You won’t want to choose a dentist who’ll be experimenting or practicing on your teeth. Look at how long the dentist has been in practice. Ask how many times he or she has performed the procedures you’re interested in having done. Cosmetic dentistry is a mix of art and science. It requires something of an artistic eye, from judging the right shade of porcelain for your veneers to the best way to recontour your gums. An experienced cosmetic dentist will be looking at your entire face, your personality, even your coloring, and making dental decisions that will enhance your total appearance.

During Your Initial Consultation : Schedule several of these consultations, and take a written list of questions to each one. As you talk to the cosmetic dentist, briefly write down his/her responses. If you don’t understand a response, ask more questions until you do. You want to choose a dentist who has time for you, who listens to your goals and concerns, and who wants you to fully understand the procedures you are interested in having done. The cosmetic dentist should be willing to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of any cosmetic procedure as well.

Code of Ethics: In your search for the right cosmetic dentist, if anything makes you pause and wonder about a dentist’s ethics, move to the next name on your list. Remember how important your smile is in your daily life, so take time in choosing the cosmetic dentist who seems most qualified on every count. We need to do our research and trust our instinct when it comes to choosing a cosmetic dentist who can help us achieve a new smile.

Being the best cosmetic dentist in Washington DC with over 20 years of experience, they help patients from all walks of life transform their appearance through modern smile enhancement. Seeing a patient view their new smile in the mirror for the first time is the most rewarding moment a cosmetic dentist can experience.

Washington DC Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Charley Varipapa offers a wide array of esthetic procedures that focus on improving your smile. There have been many advancements in cosmetic and restorative dentistry that can enhance the appearance of your smile. Cosmetic Dentistry can not only transform your smile, but it is an opportunity for total oral health as well. You can learn more about cosmetic, implant and neuromuscular dentistry. They also offer teeth whitening, dental implants and Invisalign.

Cosmetic Dental Services including:

* Dental Implants
* Porcelain Veneers
* Invisalign
* TMJ Treatment
* Smile Makeovers
* Sedation Dentistry
* Teeth Whitening

If you are looking for cosmetic or implant dentistry or are interested in invisalign or tooth whitening, contact them for a consultation. Your journey to a new smile begins with your very first call to the finest dental arts facility DC has to offer.

Teeth whitening products aren’t exactly new. There have been toothpastes on the market for years that promise to whiten your teeth and give you a brighter, warmer smile. Over the past few years, though, there’s been a wealth of new teeth whitening products on the market. With so many types of products and systems for whitening your teeth available, it can be confusing to choose the one that’s safe and best for you.

Teeth Whitening Tray Systems
One of the most commonly used types of teeth whitening products are tray systems. Essentially, these products consist of a flexible tray that is fitted to your teeth. The tray is designed to hold a bleaching agent in close contact with your teeth for a period of time. Some tray systems are designed to be used in the dentist’s office, some to be prescribed by a dentist and used at home, and some can be purchased over the counter and used at home. Many people opt to wear the trays at night while they sleep.

There are several bleaching agents that are used in teeth whitening products. The one most commonly recommended by dental professionals is a carbamide peroxide 10-22% solution. Carbamide peroxide is a viscous gel form of hydrogen peroxide chosen because it clings to teeth. The better contact that the bleach has with your teeth, the better the effects you’ll get from the whitening procedure.

Most over the counter tray systems use hydrogen peroxide instead of carbamide peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is safe, but it doesn’t bleach as quickly. In most cases, if you’re using any at-home system, it will take several sessions a day for several weeks to achieve the same results that your dentist can get in his office in two-three ninety minute sessions. However, you’ll pay for the speed – a doctor’s office whitening treatment can cost you as much as $500 per session. An at-home system may cost as little as $30 for the total treatment.

Teeth Whitening Strips
A second popular method of whitening teeth is the use of teeth whitening strips. Like over the counter tray systems, the active ingredient in teeth whitening strips is hydrogen peroxide. Instead of using a fitted tray and mouth guard, teeth whitening strips are designed to stick to your teeth and hold the hydrogen peroxide against them. They’re far more convenient for most people, who can choose to wear them at night or during the day. Usually, they require several 30-minute sessions a day over several weeks time. On the other hand, they’re not as effective as tray-based systems. Because they only cover the front teeth, only those teeth are affected. In addition, because of the fit, they often leave a yellowed area of the teeth near to the gum line.

Teeth Whitening Gums and Toothpastes

Other teeth whitening products include toothpastes, dental floss and chewing gum. These products contain a very weak solution of peroxide or another whitening agent. Because they don’t stay in contact with your teeth for any length of time, their effect is minimal. However, they are useful in maintaining a brighter smile in conjunction with another teeth whitening method.

White teeth and a bright smile can boost your confidence and improve your appearance. For help in choosing the best teeth whitening product for your teeth, consult a dental professional who can advise you which method will work best for you.

Whitening your teeth has never been easier – or safer, than with Smile 4 You’s teeth whitener kits. They all like to indulge themselves from time to time and so they should but those little indulgences can have an effect on thier teeth, red wine and coffee aswell as smoking can take the shine away from your smile, you can restore that smile to it’s brightest white with their Dentist Approved Home Power Teeth Whitening Kits.

Their kits were initially developed for dentists by one of America’s leading dentists, Dr George Madray, DMD, also a renowned author and lecturer. He developed the gel for use in dentists surgeries in 1989 and was awarded a patent 2 years later on the system kit they sell here. The gel in the kits is supplied to thousands of dentists worldwide and has been sold in many major outlets in America for 15 years. Tested at leading dental universities and research centres, their teeth whitening kits use a patented, proven method for bleaching teeth at home. Visit http://www.smile4you.co.uk/ for more information.