Teeth Whitening
Have you ever
looked at an older photo of yourself and realized that your teeth appeared whiter in the photo
than now? Over time our teeth tend to darken. This can be due to food stains,
tobacco or even chemicals, such as tetracycline. Regardless, of the reason, darker or
yellow teeth make us look older, less vibrant.
The most common and easiest way to create a more youthful, attractive smile is teeth whitening. Whiter teeth make us look younger and give us the confidence to smile more. Whiter teeth really do help you unleash the “Power of your Smile!”
Our patients at Harrison Dental have three important ways to create a brighter, more attractive smile.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
The fastest,
easiest way to a dazzling smile is our in-office whitening system. In about an hour your
smile can brighten from 4 to 8 shades causing your friends and family to wonder why you seem
so radiant.
In an in-office visit a special bleaching solution containing hydrogen peroxide is used to whiten your teeth. Because of this high concentration we first protect your gums and lips with a light-cured protective layer. The bleaching solution is carefully applied to the teeth for a specified period of time, depending on your desired results and the nature of the stains. We use a high intensity light which activates the bleaching agent releasing the oxygen molecules which break down the stains on the crystal structure of the enamel.
In one visit you can walk out of our office looking up to ten years younger.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening System
Home bleaching can be performed at home with a special, custom-made kit. During your appointment we take an impression of your teeth and create a perfectly fitted mouthpiece. At home you apply a concentration of the bleaching solution gel into the mouthpiece and wear the mouthpiece for the time specified by Dr. Fife. This bleaching gel is the same bleaching agent we use in the In-Office Teeth Whitening but at a much lower concentration so as not to irritate sensitive tissue.
Our take-home whitening system generally takes from 10 to 14 days to achieve the desired results.
Over-the-Counter Bleaching Products
There are several bleaching kits available in grocery or pharmacy stores in addition to “whitening” toothpastes. We generally don’t recommend them as they are a one-size-fits-all solution and don’t take into consideration the individual oral condition of the patient. In addition, these products are often so diluted that they may take 3 to 6 weeks and even longer to produce the desired results. They are also virtually ineffective of some tougher stains.
What can I expect from Teeth Whitening?
The genetic makeup of your teeth along with the nature of the stains makes it difficult to predict the degree of whitening to expect. However, our In-Office Whitening system offers the most consistent results since, in addition to the advanced bleaching system, we are able to monitor the results while in our office.
Teeth whitening generally can last from 1 to 3 years, depending on your home health and eating habits. If you are a non-smoker and do not eat many foods which are known to stain teeth, bleaching may last even longer.
If you have questions regarding teeth whitening or would like to discuss your individual smile appearance needs, please call Lindy, our scheduling coordinator at 342-3695.