Teeth Whitening

Why should I have professional teeth whitening?

Having your teeth whitened by a dental professional ensures your results are safe, effective, and natural looking. Your provider uses a specialized cheek retractor to keep your cheeks and lips away from the harsh whitening chemicals.

They carefully brush on the whitening agent tooth by tooth, so it doesn’t wind up in areas where it’s not supposed to be (like on your gums). This careful process also ensures even application of the whitening agent to minimize blotchiness.

Next, they carefully monitor you to ensure the chemical is doing its job and whitens your teeth to the best possible shade for your needs. Because you’re under the care of an expert, you have a lower risk of adverse effects like tooth sensitivity.

Am I a candidate for teeth whitening?

Most men and women are candidates for professional teeth whitening. If you have early warning signs of gum disease — or advanced gum disease — you may need to wait until your gums heal so the whitening agent doesn’t further aggravate sensitive gum tissue.

Crowns, bridges, fillings, or composite bonding treatments can’t be whitened. If you have one of these close to the front of your arch, it’s going to stay the same color.

Having your teeth whitened by a professional, instead of using over-the-counter products ensures they’re whitened to just the right shade, so your smile looks brighter without drawing attention to dental components.

How long does teeth whitening last?

The better you care for your teeth after a teeth whitening treatment, the longer your results are going to last. Dr. Calabria and Dr. Ellis generally recommend avoiding having anything to eat or drink — except water — for at least a couple hours after your professional teeth whitening treatment.  

Get in the habit of brushing after every meal and using mouth rinses. The team can recommend products to help keep your teeth gleaming between treatments. As long as you follow optimal oral hygiene measures at home and continue coming in for routine cleanings, your whitening treatment can last for at least several months. If you notice yellowing, you can safely repeat the treatment.

Treatment

Bleaching trays

Most cosmetic dentists offer supervised teeth whitening treatments that you can use from the comfort of your home. A dentist will create custom bleaching trays that fit perfectly over your teeth. They will give you the trays, along with teeth whitening gel and detailed instructions that cover the entire teeth whitening process. The dentist will also advise their patient on how to take care of their teeth trays.

How at-home bleaching trays work:

There are off the shelf teeth whitening solutions in most drug stores, but they can only do so much to create evenly colored teeth. Dentists address this shortcoming by combining the accuracy of in-office teeth whitening with the convenience of take-home teeth trays.

A dentist starts the teeth whitening process by performing a visual exam of their patient’s teeth and mouth. If they find any dental problems, the dentist treats those problems first. Next, the dentist takes an impression of the patient’s teeth. They use this mold to create custom teeth trays that fit like a glove.

Once the dental trays are ready, the dentist hands them over to the patient right after they clean the patient’s teeth. The dentist then gives a practical lesson on how to use the teeth whitening trays. The lesson demonstrates how to apply the bleaching agent and how to clean the teeth before wearing the trays.

The dentist also tells their patient how long and how often to wear the trays; as well as how to clean the mouth after the trays come off. Lastly, the dentist gives pointers on how to care for teeth whitening trays.

Cleaning and caring for bleaching trays:

Teeth bleaching trays are made of sturdy plastic that can withstand the mildly corrosive bleaching agent in teeth whitening gels. That does not mean that the trays can take anything a patient throws at them. Dental trays perform poorly when exposed to toothpaste, which is counterintuitive.

To care for teeth whitening trays, a dentist will recommend:

• Cleaning the trays with a soft-bristled brush or a clean washcloth
• Using soap instead of toothpaste to clean the teeth whitening trays
• Cleaning the trays with room-temperature water (never hot)
• Drying the teeth trays thoroughly, making sure to dry every nook
• Q-tips to help dry the hard to reach areas of the trays
• Storing the dry teeth trays in their case
• Protecting the teeth trays from heat to prevent warping

The dentist will also remind the patient to clean both the outside and inside of each tray. They will tell the patient to store the cleaning gel in the fridge and away from direct sunlight. Lastly, the dentist will show the patient how to deal with tooth sensitivity, just in case it happens.

Schedule your professional teeth whitening appointment at Gateway Dental over the phone.