Teeth Whitening What is the best way to whiten your teeth? The most effective way to whiten your teeth is with an at-home whitening system. In-office whitening has the benefit of whitening your teeth quickly but in order for the results to be long term, the patient has to follow up in-office whitening with several weeks of at-home whitening.
When is in-office whitening indicated? If you need results quickly then in-office whitening is beneficial. Someone who has a special occasion in a few days would be a good example.
What are the drawbacks to in-office whitening?
The cost will be more than double than at-home whitening and the patient will be in the office for 1 to 2 hours.
How is at-home whitening accomplished? Impressions of your upper and lower teeth are taken and then stone models of your teeth are made from these impressions. Soft clear whitening trays are fabricated on these models. These trays fit precisely on your teeth and are used to hold whitening solution close to the teeth.The patient would usually wear the trays for no more than 30 minutes at a time twice daily. The average patient does this for 2 weeks
Why are store bought kits not as effective?
The fit of the whitening tray is very important to the success of treatment. The only way to get an accurately fitting whitening tray is to have a professional impression of your teeth.
Are there any side effects?
The most common side effect during whitening treatments are sensitive teeth.Dr. Solar and his staff will review several ways to minimize this during treatment.
How much will my teeth whiten?
All teeth whiten differently depending on the thickness and quality of the enamel. Dr. Solar can examine your teeth and give you an idea of what to expect.Some teeth take longer than others to whiten.