Is Professional Tooth Whitening For You?

Nothing exudes healthy quite like a beautiful white smile. But there are so many things lurking in our lives to make our smile less than bright. Coffee, tea, and smoking – all of these can leave our teeth stained and unattractive.  Professional tooth whitening may be the answer to restoring the beautiful smile that you used to pride yourself on.  Let’s look at professional tooth whitening in greater detail to see if it’s right for your smile.

Chair Side Professional Tooth Whitening

Whitening that is done in the dentist’s office is known as chair side whitening, and is usually considered a cosmetic procedure – thus, most insurances will not cover the cost of professional tooth whitening.  Professional tooth whitening has many advantages over home remedies for whitening the teeth, due largely to the professional strength of products that are used during the procedure(s), and special equipment that is available only to the dentist.

Laser Bleaching Professional Tooth Whitening

One very popular in-office professional tooth whitening system that is used widely around the country is known as laser bleaching, and most of these laser bleaching systems are from Britesmile or Zoom. A special light is used alongside a whitening gel to bleach away discolorations; a home bleaching kit that is provided by the Britesmile or Zoom dentist is often sent home as well, depending on the extent of the discoloration or staining to the teeth.

During the Britesmile or Zoom procedure, a translucent gel for bleaching is applied to the teeth and a special light is used to activate crystals in the gel to absorb energy from this light – which then penetrates the enamel of the tooth and makes it lighter.  The procedure normally takes around two hours and can be completed in one visit to the dentist. Britesmile or Zoom systems is quite expensive, however; the typical treatment is around $600.

The only disadvantage to the Britesmile system or Zoom system (other than cost) is that the change is dramatic – which is often more noticeable to family, friends and coworkers (if you don’t want them to know you’ve had a whitening procedure done).

Professional Tooth Whitening – Bleaching

Bleaching can also be used in the dentist’s chair for whitening, without the benefit of a special light or laser.  Using a special formulation of hydrogen peroxide, the dentist will be able to lighten the teeth from four to six shades lighter in around an hour or so.  Unlike home bleaching kits that are not prescription grade, the peroxide gels that are used for dental bleaching by a cosmetic dentist typically contain a higher percentage of hydrogen peroxide (usually 35%), which is why they are more effective than bleaching systems that you can buy over the counter for home use.

Because of the possibility of irritation, the gums are isolated from the hydrogen peroxide during the procedure in order to protect the soft tissue of the mouth using a special shield.  The gel is applied directly to the teeth, or may be placed against the teeth using special form-fitting trays that are molded to the teeth’s shape.

Professional Tooth Whitening Tips

These tips will help you understand professional tooth whitening, and also help you select the type of tooth whitening that is best for you.

• For those people who have visible crowns or composite (white) fillings, the bleaching process of professional tooth whitening may make it more obvious that they have these dental devices, because the bleaching may cause them to “stand out” from their recently bleached teeth.
• Over the counter treatments are similar in their makeup to in-office or chair side tooth whitening – but they are much weaker in composition and thus, take longer to work.
• Avoid drinking coffee or red wine directly after tooth whitening; this is the time when the tooth enamel is more vulnerable to staining.

Safety of Professional Tooth Whitening

The American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance is an indicator that the professional tooth whitening product being used on your teeth has met the guidelines set out by the ADA for both effectiveness and safety. Look for dental offices that dispense only products that bear the ADA seal in order to be assured the highest quality for your professional tooth whitening session.