Professional Teeth Whitening

In-office professional teeth whitening uses tooth bleaching gel which is administered in a safe way. The active whitening ingredient in the whitening gels penetrates your enamel without breaking it down to reach the discolored molecules and break the bonds that hold them together. For home whitening systems, some whitening strips contain chlorine dioxide which could break down your tooth enamel. Our dentists can fit you with home whitening trays and provide safe gels to use for home whitening procedures.

Any pain associated with teeth whitening is usually due to the whitening gel or other whitening agent making contact with the gums. A tooth whitening dentist can ensure that any gum pain is minimized.

Following a professional tooth whitening procedure, you may experience some tooth sensitivity. Because the whitening agent is penetrating the enamel to break down stains in your tooth, rather than simply treating surface stains as most whitening toothpastes and over-the-counter tooth whitening products do, it is more common to experience tooth sensitivity. This sensation should go away within 1-3 days.

The choice between whitening trays and a professional teeth whitening comes down to cost and desired effect. Home whitening, which offers a cheaper price tag, generally only treats surface stains and may require more frequent applications. An in-office teeth whitening will penetrate into the tooth enamel for a deeper whitening which will last longer.

No, teeth whitening is not permanent. The amount of time your tooth bleaching will last before requiring another procedure depends on what you expose your teeth to. Food and beverages which stain teeth such as soda, tea and coffee will cause whiteness to fade quicker and may require another treatment as soon as a month. People who avoid staining foods and follow good oral health may see their whitening treatment last longer than a year.

The in-office teeth whitening procedure generally takes one hour. For fitting home whitening trays, a second visit is required to fit the trays after a mold is created in the first visit.