What to Expect at a Professional Teeth Whitening Visit

You might be wondering what to expect if you are considering professional teeth whitening. These procedures involve using bleaching agents like hydrogen carbamide or hydrogen peroxide to bleach away stains and discoloration on a person's teeth. The whitening agents used penetrate past the enamel into the dentin and inner layers of the tooth, lifting stains away.

Teeth are constantly exposed to a variety of things that chip away at their color. These include foods and beverages like red wine and pasta sauce, smoking and certain antibiotics.

How professional teeth whitening treatments work

Professional teeth whitening treatments are one of the most commonly performed dental procedures. Over-the-counter teeth whiteners are even more accessible, but many of these products contain abrasives that can damage teeth enamel. Also, the bleaching agents found in these products are not as concentrated as the prescription-grade whiteners used in-office by dentists.

Here's what the process looks like:

• During the initial consultation, the dentist will examine the patient's teeth to determine if professional teeth whitening treatments are right for them. Professional teeth whitening is effective on most types of stains like those caused by smoking or color-rich foods. Stains caused by tooth decay, overexposure to fluoride or antibiotics do not respond to teeth whitening treatments. These types of stains can be fixed with composite resin, veneers or crown
• Existing dental issues like tooth decay and gum disease are typically treated before proceeding with professional teeth whitening
• The dentist might perform teeth cleaning in preparation for the whitening treatment. The patient might be given teeth desensitizing products to use leading up to their whitening treatments to reduce the sensitivity they experience afterward
• An impression of the patient's mouth is taken and it is used to make a mouth tray that will be used to apply whitening products to their teeth. It can take up to two weeks for the custom trays to be ready
• The dentist will make a record of the color of the patient's teeth
• During the whitening treatment, the dentist will use gauze to isolate the patient's mouth and keep their teeth dry. A protective gel might be applied to the gums to protect against the bleaching agents being used. Retractors might be used to prevent the whitening solution from getting on the patient's cheeks and tongue
• Once the desired shade of white is reached or the bleaching agents have been on the person's teeth for the maximum time allowed, the whitening solution is rinsed off. The patient should have noticeably whiter teeth at this point. Follow up treatments might be needed to reach the shade of white the patient desires
• The dentist will educate the patient about how to take care of their newly-whitened teeth. Many dentists recommend avoiding color-rich foods for the first 48 hours after treatment. Whitening toothpaste can be used a few times a week to keep new surface stains from forming

Start your journey towards whiter teeth

Call or visit our Port Charlotte clinic if you are not happy with the color of your teeth. Our dentist will help you improve the whiteness of your teeth with our whitening treatments.

Request an appointment here: https://dragonflydentalportcharlotte.com or call Dragonfly Dental of Port Charlotte at (941) 676-9225 for an appointment in our Port Charlotte office.

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