Teeth Whitening
Are you unhappy with the color of your teeth?
Staining can occur for many reasons, including smoking or tobacco use. Your teeth can also become stained by regularly eating certain foods and beverages. Plus, teeth naturally start to darken as you age.
Luckily, visiting our office for a professional whitening treatment can reverse the effects of tooth staining and give you back your dazzling smile. Brilliant, white teeth will make you look healthier and more youthful.
Many over-the-counter whitening treatments are readily available; however, professional whitening is generally safer and more effective. Applicator trays in over-the-counter kits are intended to be “one size fits all,” which can result in them fitting uncomfortably in your mouth since they aren’t designed specifically for your teeth. Whitening gels included with this product can sometimes be too abrasive or leak because of ill-fitting trays, leading to gum and other soft tissue irritation.
For these reasons, you may want to choose professional whitening instead. The whitening service your dentist provides may consist of two phases – an in-office whitening session and a customized at-home kit and care plan.
In-Office Whitening
Your dentist will choose whitening gel in the appropriate strength for your case while accounting for factors like your level of sensitivity and your whitening goals. This gel is typically applied using custom-made applicator trays for maximum comfort and also to protect the tissues in your mouth from becoming irritated by the whitening gel. Teeth can be lightened dramatically in only one session.
At-Home Whitening
If you prefer to whiten your teeth at your convenience, your dentist may provide a custom at-home whitening kit. Your applicator trays will be made just for you, and the strength of the whitening gel will be chosen to meet your needs. You will be given specific instructions for using it safely.
After this whitening treatment, you will typically be asked to schedule a follow-up visit with our office to check your progress.
Schedule a Consultation Today
Why wait any longer to start toward your perfect smile? Contact your cosmetic dentist today to find out more about whitening services.
Frequently Asked Questions
While the whitening kits you can find at your local drugstore cost less than professional kits, the truth is that this is a case where you get what you pay for. Drugstore whitening kits are designed to be "one size fits all," which often translates to "one size fits none." The strengths are much lower than what you can get in a professional kit, meaning that you must use the product for a longer period of time and are still unlikely to get the results you can find in a professional product. Additionally, your results are not being monitored by the dentist you know and
It shouldn't.
Most professional whitening products contain an added desensitizing ingredient that protects even sensitive teeth and keeps you comfortable during the process. Additionally, the customizable nature of professional whitening treatments prevents the product from coming into contact with soft tissues like your gums, lips, and tongue.
If your teeth are very sensitive, please talk to us so that we can help you determine whether whitening is appropriate for you.
Sometimes, a simple teeth whitening procedure is all it takes to put the sparkle back into your smile. If your staining or discoloration is resistant to whitening, however, we have other ways of improving the appearance of your teeth using cosmetic dentistry procedures such as veneers, bonding, or porcelain crowns. Call us to find out which of our services is right for you.
Teeth staining can have several different causes. Some of the most common culprits we see include:
- Smoking
- Drinking staining beverages such as coffee, tea, and red wine
- Eating staining foods like berries and curry
- Inadequate dental hygiene
- Certain health conditions
- Genetics
Meet Our Doctor:
Dr. Sajan Desai
After earning his undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Desai went on to pursue his Doctor of Dental Medicine at Midwestern University. Dr. Desai’s mission is to treat every patient as if they were his family member and provide the highest quality dental care in a timely and comfortable manner. ...
Teeth Whitening Technology
Zoom Whitening
Zoom is a bleaching process widely used throughout the country and around the world to lighten discoloration of enamel and dentin. Tooth discoloration may result from drinking coffee, tea, cola and red wine; or from smoking. The aging process also can stain and darken your teeth. The Zoom in-office tooth whitening procedure uses the Zoom Advanced Power Chairside Lamp – said to accelerate the bleaching process – to activate the 25 percent hydrogen peroxide whitening. As the hydrogen peroxide is broken down, oxygen enters the enamel and dentin to bleach the stained substances, leaving the structure of the tooth unchanged.