Dentist Assisted Whitening

In office whitening, sometimes called laser whitening, and a procedure that utilizes trays and prescription strength gel that you apply at home. There are distinct advantages to both.

Professional light assisted teeth whitening is deliver optimum results in a short amount of time done by dentists. While this is the most expensive avenue for chemical bleaching, it is the quickest, most noticeable, and least messy way to approach the cosmetic enhancement.

On the day of your appointment, you will undergo a type of pumice scrub on your teeth to remove any plaque and gauze will be placed around all other surfaces of the mouth that pose risk of coming in contact with your teeth. A barrier is also placed along the gum line to protect it from the whitening solution. The teeth are then coated with the solution which is either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, and the light will be applied to activate the bleaching agent. Once it has been activated it can usually be left on for up to an hour.

You will be instructed to avoid foods and beverages that could induce staining, such as coffee, tobacco, mustard, red wine, etc., for twenty-four hours.The most prevalent benefit of this in-office procedure it that it is quick, efficient, and it is the most effective of any whitening methods. The downside is that it is the most expensive.

The second professionally supervised method of teeth whitening is to have a set of trays made. This is a two-step procedure that begins with making a mold of your teeth while in the dentist’s office. The mold is then used to make custom fit trays that snuggly fit the contours of each individual tooth; there is usually a several day to a few week wait while the trays are being made.

Once you have the trays in your possessions, they are your forever. You can buy professional strength whitening agents at any dentist office to use with your trays on your own time and in your own home. The initial process will take daily applications over the course of a few weeks, and the results will be gradual.

The clear benefit of this method is that there is the upfront expense of making the trays is a onetime payment. The trays are then yours forever to use as often as you need. The gel cost is extremely minimal in comparison, and touch up kits can be purchased for even less. The only downside is that this process cannot be done on a whim. The wait to get the trays alone is a deterrent for some; however, always having the possibility of whiter teeth without a major financial investment is a certain advantage.