Teeth Whitening

teeth whitening

Everybody loves a bright white smile, and there are a variety of products and procedures available to help you improve your look.

Many people are satisfied with the sparkle they get from brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, flossing once a day, and regular cleanings at Dr. Carol's office. However, if you decide you would like to go beyond regular care to make your smile look brighter you should investigate all of your options.

Finding the Best Treatment for You

Schedule a visit with Dr. Carol to learn whether whitening procedures would be effective for you. Whiteners do not correct all types of discoloration. For example, yellowish teeth will probably whiten well, brownish teeth may whiten less effectively, and grayish teeth may not whiten well at all. Likewise, whitening may not enhance your smile if you have had tooth-colored fillings or crowns. The whitener will not affect the color of these materials and they will stand out in your newly whitened smile. In these cases, you do have other options.

Tooth Whitening Treatments
 

  • Custom Fitted Trays At-Home
  • Non-Custom Trays At-Home
  • Whitening toothpaste

When selecting a whitener or any dental product, be sure to look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance — your assurance that a product has met ADA standards of safety and effectiveness.

Custom Fitted Whitening Trays At-Home

Custom whitening trays provide you with optimum whitening over the short period of just a few weeks. Dr. Carol will examine your teeth and gums to assure good oral health. Old fillings may need to be replaced and/or decayed areas treated and filled. An impression of both your upper and lower teeth will be taken to guarantee a proper fit of the custom fabricated whitening trays. The thin, soft plastic trays provide sufficient comfort to allow whitening while you sleep. Once the trays are made, Dr. Carol will explain how to use the Opalescence whitening gel. Many patients use Opalescence while they sleep but it can be used as little as 2 hours per day. Dr. Carol will decide how many treatments it will take for maximum results. Optimum whitening results are usually obtained in two to three weeks.

Non-Custom Trays At-Home

"Tres White" is the latest in professional at-home whitening. Not only is "Tres White" fast acting, comfortable, and great tasting, but easy to use as well. Similar to Crest White strips, "Tres White" requires no custom trays. These pre-loaded whitening trays are simply inserted onto your teeth, where they remain securely in place for the 60 minutes wear time. "Tres White" creates a broader white smile by covering 10 upper front teeth and 8 lower front teeth. Due to its high concentration of peroxide, results are achieved quickly.

These ideal results are not only achieved quickly but safely, as "Tres White" uses two specific types of gel. A whitening gel is loaded along the bottom of the tray for whitening the teeth and a barrier gel is loaded above the gum line for protecting the gums from irritation. This barrier gel helps keep the whitening gel on the teeth where it belongs.

This whitening option works best on younger adults with straighter teeth who have less stain. It will work for mature adults as well but not as effectively as our custom whitening trays. "Tres White's" mint, melon, and peach flavors make whitening your teeth almost as enjoyable as the results you'll achieve.

Whitening Toothpaste

All toothpastes help remove surface stain from your teeth through the action of mild abrasives. "Whitening" toothpastes in the ADA Seal of Acceptance program have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaches, these ADA Accepted products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.

Teeth whitening can have minor side-effects and you should speak with Dr. Carol if these become bothersome. For example, teeth can become sensitive during the period when you are using the whitening solution. In most cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should lessen once the treatment is finished. Some people also experience soft tissue irritation, either from a tray that doesn't fit properly or from solution that may come in contact with the tissues. If you have any problems or concerns during the process, discuss them with Dr. Carol. After you have your white smile, it's important to keep it that way. Practice good oral hygiene and always remember to brush after consuming staining foods or beverages.