Teeth Whitening

Why Is Professional Dental Whitening Preferred?

Only your dentist can determine whether dental whitening treatments are safe for your teeth. In-office dental whitening, often known as chairside teeth whitening, is performed under the careful monitoring of your trusted dentist. This ensures that your treatment is painless and safe. Unlike do-it-yourself whitening products, the bleaching gel in professional treatments is very highly concentrated. This potency and professional supervision provide immediate and stunning results for most people.

Professional dental whitening is most effective on teeth that are stained by tobacco or discolored from years of consuming highly pigmented foods and beverages like coffee, tea, red wine, blueberries, cherries and tomato sauces. Whitening treatment is often not recommended for teeth discolored by some medications such as tetracycline. Teeth that have been discolored by structural issues such as decay and defective fillings also don’t react well to the treatment. Teeth restorations such as fillings, crowns and veneers will remain unchanged by whitening treatment, even though your natural tooth surfaces will lighten.

To determine whether you’re a good candidate for cosmetic teeth whitening, our teeth bleaching dentist will examine your teeth carefully to find the root cause of your teeth discoloration. Once your evaluation is complete, our dentist will recommend treatment options suited to your needs and oral health.

What Dentists Offer Teeth Whitening at Home?

We want you to have a smile you’re proud of, so we also provide at-home teeth whitening kits that can lighten your teeth up to six shades. These at-home kits are made by your dentist, and they include a professional-grade teeth whitening gel that is more powerful than typical over-the-counter whitening solutions.

To make your personalized teeth whitening kit, an impression is taken of your teeth. This impression helps us make a whitening tray that perfectly and comfortably fits your teeth. This process usually takes a couple of weeks.

Using the kit is extremely easy, and you can choose when and where you use the whitening trays. As long as you wear the tray for about an hour each day for two weeks, you can achieve a much brighter smile.

Does Professional Teeth Bleaching Cost a Lot?

We work hard to help you find economical solutions for your teeth whitening needs. Some of the expenses that factor into your total teeth whitening cost include variables such as how many treatments you need, the type of whitening system you select, whether you need follow-up at-home bleaching kits and whether repairs need to be made to the color of your fillings, crowns or veneers in order to blend with your newly whitened teeth. We’ll provide you with a comprehensive cost estimate following your consultation with our dentist. You can call us today to set up your consultation.

Are DIY Teeth Whitening Products Different from Professional Options?

DIY whitening products are plentiful, ranging from whitening strips and trays to toothpastes and rinses. On the whole, though, these over-the-counter options provide much weaker results than professional procedures. Our teeth whitening gel is far more potent than over-the-counter options, so you enjoy faster, more consistent and much more noticeable results with professional treatment. It is easy to accidentally misuse over-the-counter products. This misuse can give you uneven results and irritate your gums. Having your dentist monitor your whitening procedure prevents user error and ensures you gain a whiter, brighter smile immediately.

What Does a Teeth Whitening Procedure Involve?

Having your teeth whitened in our office is a fairly quick procedure, although your actual experience will vary depending on the type of whitening system used. Here are a few steps you’ll likely experience during your teeth whitening procedure:

1. Your teeth are examined and cleaned.
2. Photos are taken to evaluate tooth shade and track progress.
3. Your dentist applies a cheek retractor to reveal your teeth.
4. Your gums are protected with a special liquid.
5. In some cases, a layer of bleaching gel is applied to your teeth. It is allowed to set, then it’s removed and another coat is applied. You may have several coatings of bleaching gel applied in one treatment session.
6. Once the procedure is complete, your dentist determines whether you need follow-up or at-home treatment.

Don’t hide your smile. Discover how easy it is to enjoy a bright, gleaming smile by contacting us about teeth whitening in Capitol Heights.