Teeth Whitening

Cosmetic Dentistry Directory

veryone wants a bright, sparkling smile. Unfortunately, as we age our teeth lose their natural brightness. Factors that contribute to this loss are:

• Strongly pigmented foods and beverages such as blackberries, red wine, black tea and coffee
• Cigarette smoking
• Old metal fillings
• Dental trauma
• Certain types of medication

Bright, white teeth can make you look younger and more attractive. Luckily, these days there are many available methods for whitening your teeth and achieving the smile you desire. The most popular are in-office whitening services and professional take-home whitening kits. Both methods can help you achieve the white teeth you desire.

In-office whitening

In-office teeth whitening offers amazing results in just one office visit. During the procedure:

• Your cosmetic dentist will photograph your teeth for later color comparison.
• A latex shield will be placed over your gums and lips to protect them from the bleaching gel.
• Tooth whitener will be applied.
• A special high intensity light will be directed at your teeth to activate the whitening agent and speed the bleaching process.
• After 20 minutes, the light is removed and the whitener rinsed off. This process is typically repeated three times.

Afterwards, your cosmetic dentist will photograph your newly whitened teeth and you can immediately see what a change was made. You'll receive a take-home kit which you can use right away at home, to further whiten your teeth, if you think that's possible. Or you can keep it for touch-ups in the future. You'll be leaving the office with a dramatically brighter and more dazzling smile.

At-home whitening

If you prefer to whiten your teeth gradually on your own time, an at-home teeth whitening kit may be the best choice for you. Your cosmetic dentist will photograph your teeth and create upper and lower impressions (molds) that the lab will use to create two customized trays.

The kit will come with:

• Your two customized trays.
• Several syringes containing a strength of whitening gel which you and your dentist have agreed upon.
• An instruction booklet.
• A tube of de-sensitizing gel in case you start to feel extra tooth sensitivity.
• A strip of glossy paper with small blocks of color on it, corresponding to shades of tooth color. You can mark the shade you're starting with, and see your progress.

You simply squeeze a small drop of whitening gel into each indentation in the trays (where they fit over each tooth) and wear the two trays for at least 30 minutes each day. You can wear them overnight, but there's no requirement to do this. After about 30 minutes, the whitening agent will stop working, so there isn't any point in wearing the trays longer than that.

If your teeth start to feel too sensitive, you can halt treatments for a day or two, and wear the trays with small drops of de-sensitizing gel in them instead of whitening gel.

You should start to see results after one or two weeks, and more dramatic results as you use the kit longer. Nobody can predict exactly how white your particular teeth may become.

Whether you choose the in-office method, or the at-home method, teeth whitening is a simple and effective way to enhance your smile and boost your self-esteem. To learn more about it, please visit our Frequently Asked Teeth Whitening Questions page.