A brighter smile and with a new level of confidence
What to expect
At the Appointment
Duration usually 4 hr
After Appointment
Possible sensitivity to cold for a few days
What it is
It is estimated that a 45 year old smile can look up to 10 years younger by simply whitening teeth.
Every smile deserves to be brighter, and one of the easiest ways to get there is to undergo an in office bleaching procedure. However there are a few situations that may alter the quality of the final outcome:
- Retorations: Old restorations may need to be replaced after a bleaching procedure. The old restorations will not match the new bleached tooth color. Also there may be old silver fillings that can cast a dark shadow through the tooth. It is suggested that these restorations are replaced for esthetic reasons where necessary.
- Defects: Occurrences such as cracks, irregularities, roughness's may be minimized but will not be eliminated with bleaching. These types of defects can only be eliminated via restorations or adjustments.
- Exposed Roots: Exposed root surfaces do not respond to bleaching as readily as the enamel, and may maintain a yellow color even after bleaching.
Whitening works extremely well with staining and discoloration associated with aging, diet and nicotine consumption. Some cases require longer home applications after in office bleaching course, however excellent outcomes are typically achieved with these types of discolorations.
Particularly difficult type of stain that will not be completely removed by whitening procedures are stains that are either brown or white. These types of stains are usually caused by trauma during tooth formation or fluorosis. Fluorosis is caused by excess fluoride during tooth formation. Once a tooth is formed fluorosis is no longer a risk. These stains will be minimized with whitening treatment however they will not be completely removed.
Tetracycline stains are somewhat difficult to remove, however with home application kits it is possible to minimize the stain to an acceptable level where the staining is not noticeable.
Something to keep in mind is that after whitening is complete the teeth will rebound in color. That means that they will get slightly darker once whitening procedures are no longer practiced. That is normal and is to be expected.
Is it harmful?
Bleaching teeth is not harmful however it has some drawbacks that may dissuade a someone from whitening. After bleaching it is expected the teeth to be sensitive to hot, cold, sugar and salt for a few days. However with teeth that are sensitive to begin with that sensitivity can last longer. Toothpaste with Sodium Fluoride or Potassium Nitrate usually helps the sensitivity to diminish.
Another finding by research is that restoration on bleached teeth have a weaker bond, however this findings does not seem to impact clinical outcomes of restorations.
How it is accomplished
Another finding by research is that restoration on bleached teeth have a weaker bond, however this findings does not seem to impact clinical outcomes of restorations.
Once tissues have been isolated a whitening gel is applied to the teeth and stimulated by blue light. After a few cycles the shade of the teeth will be noticeably whiter.
After the whitening session is over the isolation is removed, and the patient is issued a take home whitening kit.
After in office whitening:
We ask that patients refrain from consuming pigmented foods such as coffee, tea, wine or red sauces after whitening in order to prevent staining in the first 24-48 hours.
Also it is recommended to use tooth paste with Sodium Fluoride or Potassium Nitrate to quickly reduce tooth sensitivity after whitening.
Also it is recommended to use tooth paste with Sodium Fluoride or Potassium Nitrate to quickly reduce tooth sensitivity after whitening.