When you have a smile you’re happy with, you tend to show it off more. What’s considered a “perfect” grin is straight teeth and white enamel. While crooked teeth will take time and budgeting to fix, at Supremia Dentistry, we have an affordable solution to get you the white teeth you desire.
Over-the-counter products are available almost everywhere. But these items are often made from inferior ingredients that can damage your teeth and gums. If you’re not sure what the product is made of, you’re taking a big chance putting chemicals in your mouth.
Professional teeth whitening services at a dentist’s office are the method that experts recommend. These techniques are safer and more effective, and they often give you faster results!
So why is a dentist’s teeth whitening so much better than an OTC product? Read on to find out and to see what you can expect with a whitening treatment at Supremia Dentistry.
We Put Your Safety First
Using a product you bought over the counter, even if it’s American Dental Association-approved, has a lot of potential complications. You take the chance that the active ingredient, usually hydrogen peroxide, is in the right concentrations.
If it’s too high, it can damage your enamel and gums. Too low, though, and you have to use the product over and over to get and maintain results.
The more often you use a whitening agent, even in low amounts, the better your chances are of damaging your teeth.
Teeth bleaching at a dentist’s office, on the other hand, uses the highest quality products with top ingredients. We also have trained experts and state-of-the-art equipment to make sure you get the best results. We know the potential for problems and are trained in safety protocols to avoid them.
Safety Step Number One
Calling to schedule a whitening treatment at any dentist’s office is going to require an appointment for a check-up first. This is a safety precaution we take seriously.
It’s possible that you have some underlying problems going on in your mouth you’re not aware of. Issues like cavities, cracked and chipped teeth, or gum disease don’t always have symptoms right away.
But if you add a bleaching agent to your enamel and you have one of these dental issues, it could make it worse. By applying a treatment at home without a check-up first, you end up aggravating a condition that could have been easily fixed.
None of these problems will go away on their own, either. The check-up is in your best interest to catch them early, fix them fast, and get your whiter teeth on the schedule!
The Professional Teeth Whitening Service
Once the check-up is out of the way, and you’re cleared for a treatment, the rest is smooth sailing.
On the day of your appointment, you probably wonder, “Should I brush my teeth before whitening?” While part of your visit will include a professional cleaning, it’s still a good idea to follow through with your normal oral hygiene routine.
If you eat before a visit, brush your teeth. This helps the enamel harden again after the digestive process has softened it.
How Do They Whiten Your Teeth at the Dentist?
The teeth whitening procedure isn’t complicated, but it does require caution. To get started, we clean your teeth to give the whitening agent a clear surface to work with. After that, we continue the safety procedures.
A retractor is gently placed in your mouth to keep any chemicals from touching the tissues in your lips and cheeks. It won’t hurt anything if they do touch, but we do everything we can to avoid irritating these sensitive areas.
Next, we use a coating of a special gel to cover your gums. The whitener naturally crosses over into the gum line during the treatment. This protective layer of gel keeps the active ingredients in the bleaching agent from causing any damage.
The Way the Whiteners Work
Finally, we’re ready to apply the whitening gel to your enamel. This part is the exciting step!
Knowing what goes on in the process of lightening your teeth helps you understand why it can be dangerous, though. Your teeth are made of multiple layers. The layer in your enamel that we’re working with is called dentin.
Dentin is where the color of your teeth changes. It’s a porous layer that can gradually stain and discolor. We use that to our advantage with our whitening treatment.
As soon as we apply the product to your enamel, the bleaching agent encourages the pores to expand. As they expand, the bleach enters the dentin and absorbs into it. Slowly, the whitener causes the dentin’s color to lighten.
This is a time-sensitive process. The bleach needs to be on long enough to work, but not so long that it damages the enamel. To speed up the absorption, we have a special light technique that we use.
The light causes the pores to open wider and faster and lets the bleach absorb more quickly. You don’t have to sit with a chemical on your teeth too long, and you get impactful results anyway.
The effectiveness of the treatment will depend on how stained your teeth were at the beginning. Many patients see results after the first teeth whitening service.
Teeth Whitening Before and After
Before your whitening service, you had your check-up and corrected any problems that were going on. Now, keeping your teeth white and your mouth healthy is up to you!
Right after your visit, you’ll need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Your dentist will explain what to avoid to prevent staining the enamel again. Remember, those pores in your dentin are still open and will be for about 48 hours!
Oral hygiene habits are essential if you want a healthy, white smile. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss, and use mouthwash. Schedule regular check-ups. If you notice your teeth starting to yellow again, ask your dentist about a whitening touchup. These can be done once or twice a year.
The friendly and knowledgeable staff at Supremia Dentistry are ready to show you what life is like when you have a smile you love to show off. Contact us today and get started on the road to a healthier, happier you!