Tooth Whitening

New materials and technology can give you the megawatt smile you’ve been longing for!

Have you ever noticed how vibrant and youthful people appear when they can show off a natural-looking, bright-white smile? You can have that, too, with our safe, painless and effective professional tooth-whitening procedures.

What Is Tooth Whitening?

Tooth whitening is a bleaching process that whitens enamel to create a brighter appearance. No natural tooth structure is lost, and the process requires no anesthetic.

Before

After

Is tooth whitening for me?

We can help you determine if you are a good candidate for this procedure by conducting an oral exam. During this exam, we will check the condition and strength of your teeth and take X-rays.

Prior to recommending a tooth whitening method, the cause of discoloration must be determined. Some causes of discoloration include:

• Foods/drinks- Coffee, tea, colas, wines, and certain fruits and vegetables can stain your teeth.
• Tobacco use
• Poor dental hygiene- Inadequate brushing and flossing to remove plaque and stain-producing substances.
• Disease. Several diseases that affect enamel (the hard surface of the teeth) and dentin (the underlying material under enamel) can lead to tooth discoloration. In addition, treatments for certain conditions can also affect tooth color. For example, head and neck radiation and chemotherapy can cause teeth discoloration. In addition, certain infections in pregnant mothers can cause tooth discoloration in the infant by affecting enamel development.
• Medications. The antibiotics tetracycline and doxycycline are known to discolor teeth when given to children younger than age 8 whose teeth are still developing. Mouth rinses and washes containing chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride can also stain teeth. Antihistamines (like Benadryl), antipsychotic drugs and antihypertensive medications also cause teeth discoloration.
• Dental materials. Some of the materials used in dentistry such as amalgam restorations, especially silver sulfide-containing materials, can cast a gray-black color to teeth.
• Advancing age. As you age, the outer layer of enamel on your teeth gets worn away revealing the natural yellow color of dentin.
• Genetics. Some people have naturally brighter or thicker enamel than others.
• Environment. Excessive fluoride either from environmental sources (naturally high fluoride levels in water) or from excessive use (fluoride applications, rinses, toothpaste, and fluoride supplements taken by mouth) can cause teeth discoloration.
• Trauma. Damage from a fall can disturb enamel formation in young children whose teeth are still developing. Trauma also can cause discoloration to adult teeth.

After determining what caused the staining or discoloration, a dentist can determine whether you are a candidate for a whitening procedure and if so, which one is safest for you and will render the best results- an in-office procedure or an over-the-counter or take-home product.

Before

After

In-office tooth-whitening

This procedure is done in a series of appointments. The number of treatments needed depends on the desired end result. During the visits, we do the following:

• Apply lubricant to your gums.
• Place a protective material (dental dam) around the necks of your teeth to shield your gums, tongue and lips.
• Clean your teeth to remove excess lubricant.
• Apply conditioner to your teeth, then rinse and dry them.
• Apply the whitening solution to the teeth, and leave it on for a period of time.
• Rinse and polish your teeth.

Video demonstrating the Tooth Whitening process