Teeth Whitening
Most people can agree that a shiny, white smile is attractive. However, keeping our smile white can be difficult and sometimes time consuming. With all of the options available today, let us help you decipher what would work best for you.
Where To Start
In our office, teeth whitening is a safe and cost-effective way to improve your smile. The result can be striking — In-office whitening can lighten teeth three to eight shades in just one hour (results may vary).Professional whitening by our office is more effective and less painful than store-bought treatments, and will better safeguard sensitive gums and tooth-root surfaces. We do not recommend whitening treatments performed by someone not properly trained.
As a first step, you should always have an oral exam before you start any whitening procedure to determine if teeth discoloration is related to any underlying health issues.
Professional Whitening Methods
- In-Office Whitening Treatment — This process offers immediate results with the most powerful whitening solutions available. First, we cover your gums and tooth-root surfaces with a protective barrier. Then, we place a retractor to hold your lips and cheeks away from your teeth as we apply a professional-strength hydrogen peroxide gel. This gel stays on for one hour and the results can be seen immediately upon removal.
- Take-Home Whitening Treatment — This is a viable option to whiten your teeth, though it will take more time to produce visible results. More likely than not, it will take a few weeks to reach the level of whitening you desire. First, we take a mold of your teeth to make two, flexible plastic mouth trays, custom-made in our office. At home, you will fill the trays with a whitening gel we provide for you. Next, you’ll fit them over your teeth and leave them in for an hour. In some cases, you can leave them in overnight depending on the strength of the bleach.
(slide to see before and after)
How to Maintain Your New White Smile
Maintain your usual habit of brushing and flossing twice a day to make sure your whitening results last. Typically, results last six months to two years, or even longer for some. Also, keep up with your regularly scheduled professional cleanings twice a year with our office.
Try to avoid heavy consumption of foods and beverages that can stain your teeth, such as red wine, tea, and coffee. If you’re a smoker, you can use your newly beautiful white teeth as motivation to quit, or at least cut back.
Don’t ever feel like it may not be worth it because you drink “too much coffee”. Easy intermittent touch-ups, either at home or at the dental office, can keep your smile white and beautiful for years to come
Call our office today to set up an appointment with Dr. Zach Brumbach and his dental professional team if you are in need of dentures.