Tooth Whitening
Choosing tooth whitening for your smile
Advanced dental techniques now available at The Center of Dental Professionals can provide you with exciting, new options for enhancing your smile. Revolutionary methods are now available for bleaching teeth to make smiles sparkle!
Teeth bleaching or whitening lightens the color of teeth whether darkened from age, coffee, tea or tobacco. Its brightening effects can last up to five years after the treatment depending on your personal habits, such as smoking or drinking coffee or tea.
Bleaching has a higher than 90% success rate at The Center of Dental Professionals. Bleaching is tough on stains but gentle on your teeth! Results vary depending on several factors such as teeth stained from smoking; from taking certain medications such as tetracycline during tooth development; or from fluorosis, a condition occurring in the presence of too much fluoride.
Bleaching will not lighten fillings or artificial materials used in dental repair as for crowns, porcelain veneers, etc. We may discourage treatment if you have sensitive teeth, periodontal disease, teeth with worn enamel or if you’re pregnant or breast-feeding.
Options for tooth whitening
Depending on the bleaching treatment selected, some are performed in the dental office using an in-office bleaching system such as laser bleaching. These methods lighten teeth instantly. The same results may be obtained through dentist-supervised at-home bleaching, but take longer to achieve.
Some bleaching systems, which bleach your teeth while you sleep, work in 10 to 14 days (or more accurately nights)! Others bleach your teeth from two to four hours a day requiring three to six weeks to complete.
Also it’s important to know that certain types of stain respond better to different types of whitening materials. In such cases, your dentist may recommend one method over the other.
Brighter smile steps
- We will first examine your teeth and gums and discuss the procedure best suited to your individual needs. Any cavities or gum problems must be treated before bleaching can begin.
- The in-office method generally takes one to three hours and results in an immediate noticeable change.
- For the at-home method, special molds will be made of your teeth at The Center of Dental Professionals, these are used to make custom-fitting flexible trays holding the bleaching gel comfortably in your mouth.
- When you get your bleaching trays at The Center of Dental Professionals, you'll receive instructions about wearing them. These must be carefully followed. Only the materials provided by the dentist can be safely used.
- After completing the treatment, your teeth will be checked by us to discuss the results.
- Smile. Your teeth will radiate a bright new look!