Your smile is one of the first things people notice when they meet you so it is understandable to want a whiter, brighter smile! Many factors contribute to stained and darkened teeth such as drinking coffee, tea, cola and red wine, smoking and aging. Whitening can help to improve the aesthetics of your smile and there are many products and procedures available to you. We proudly offer several different whitening options for both patients and parents in our office.

It is noteworthy that there are potential side effects to whitening your teeth. For example, it is not uncommon for patients to experience sensitivity during the whitening process. In most cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should lessen once the treatment is finished. Some people also experience soft tissue irritation. This can result either from an improperly fitting tray or from whitening solution coming in contact with the tissues. If you have concerns about such side effects you should discuss them with Dr. Johnson prior to starting your whitening treatment.

Finding the Best Treatment for You

Schedule a visit with Dr. Johnson to learn whether or not whitening procedures would be effective for you. Whiteners do not correct all types of discoloration. For example, yellowish teeth will probably bleach well, brownish teeth may not bleach as well, and grayish teeth may not bleach at all. Likewise, whitening may not enhance your smile if you have had tooth-colored fillings or crowns. The whitener will not affect the color of these materials and they will stand out in your newly whitened smile. In these cases, you do have other options such as porcelain veneers.

Younger patients who do not have all of their permanent teeth are generally not encouraged to use the whitening products in our office. This is because baby teeth have a different structure than permanent teeth and bleaching baby teeth can lead to extreme senstivity and an uneven whitening pattern, post-treatment. However, should you or your child desire or have a need for whitening please discuss this with our office as there are many options available.

Tooth Whitening Treatments

• Professional teeth whitening in our office
• At-home whitening system
• Whitening toothpaste

When selecting a whitener or any dental product, be sure to look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance — your assurance that a product has met The American Dental Association's standards of safety and effectiveness.

Professional Teeth Whitening

Professional teeth whitening is the best choice when you need immediate whitening results. This procedure is referred to as chair-side bleaching and will require an additional at-home whitening system to maintain desired result. Each visit may take from sixty to ninety minutes. During chair-side bleaching, a Registered Dental Assistant will apply a protective gel to your gums and then a bleaching agent to the teeth.

At-Home Whitening System

There are several types of products available for use at home that can either be dispensed by Dr. Johnson or purchased over the counter. They are generally teeth whitening trays (bleach trays) or strips.

Teeth Whitening Trays

These products contain peroxide(s) which actually bleach the tooth enamel. Carbamide peroxide is the bleaching agent and various whitening methods offer different concentrations of this ingredient (10%, 16%, and 22%). Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in a gel and are placed in a bleach tray. Usage regimens vary. Some products are used twice a day for two weeks while others are intended for overnight use for one to two weeks. If you obtain the bleaching solution from our office, we can make a custom-fitted bleach tray for you that will fit your teeth precisely. Currently, the only home-use, tray-applied gels to carry the ADA Seal are 10% carbamide peroxide and must be dispensed by a dentist.

Teeth Whitening Strips

Teeth whitening strips are thin, flexible, plastic (polyethylene) strips with a thin film of hydrogen peroxide bleaching on one side. Whitening strip kits come with two types of strips: strips for the upper teeth and strips for the lower teeth. The bleaching agent is applied by placing the strips across your teeth and gently pressing the strips into place to insure contact with all of your teeth. Teeth whitening strips are typically worn for 30 minutes a day, twice a day. The duration of treatment will vary.

Whitening Toothpaste

All toothpastes help to remove surface stain from your teeth through the action of mild abrasives. "Whitening" toothpastes in the ADA Seal of Acceptance program have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaches, these ADA Accepted products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.