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A bright, white smile is associated with youthfulness and good health. Very few people have a naturally perfect white smile, especially as age and lifestyle factors can take their toll on teeth.
With professional teeth whitening treatments, it has never been easier to achieve a brighter smile safely.
In this guide, you will learn why teeth stain, how teeth whitening can help, and the benefits of professional teeth whitening. Discover more about professional teeth whitening options, and some useful tips on maintaining the results for longer.
What Is Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening is a process designed to whiten someone’s natural tooth colour, often by several shades. Typically, the most effective treatments utilize bleach or hydrogen peroxide, which can lift deep-seated stains from tooth enamel.
Reasons for Tooth Staining
Over time, tooth enamel can become stained and dingy. Additionally, tooth enamel can become thinner with age due to acid erosion. As tooth enamel thins, it exposes more of the tooth’s underlying color, in the dentin underneath the enamel. The tooth color in your dentin tends to be darker. Other reasons for tooth discoloration include lifestyle factors, such as smoking, drinking coffee, tea, or wine.
A dentist-supervised whitening treatment is the best and most effective way to brighten your teeth without harming them. The results are fast and can sometimes be achieved in as little as an hour’s appointment.
Why Choose Teeth Whitening?
Common reasons for choosing a professional tooth whitening treatment include:
- Removing stains caused by lifestyle factors.
- Reversing the signs of natural discolouration that occur with age.
- Preparing for a special event such as a wedding, vacation, or another social occasion.
- To rejuvenate appearance, as part of a smile makeover or in conjunction with other cosmetic treatments like Botox or dermal fillers.
Professional Teeth Whitening Options
At NYC Dentistry Centre, we can provide three different options to whiten teeth safely, which are:
- In-office whitening.
- Take-home whitening kits.
- Combining both treatments.
- In-Office Tooth Whitening
In-office tooth whitening treatments are extremely popular, fast, and effective, using Zoom whitening, one of the best teeth whitening systems available today.
During this treatment, we protect your gums and lips before applying professional-strength whitening gel to your teeth. The gel is light-activated, which helps it penetrate your tooth enamel more deeply and quickly.
The gel can be removed and reapplied several times during your treatment until we achieve the desired results.
After an in-office whitening treatment, your teeth will look visibly brighter. They can continue to whiten for several days afterward as your tooth enamel settles down.
- Take-Home Whitening Kits
These take-home whitening kits are custom-made and include trays that will fit exactly over your teeth, protecting your gums from the whitening gel. We prescribe carbamide peroxide whitening gel, a professional strength product that is a more stable form of hydrogen peroxide and therefore safe for home use.
Our dental team will show you how to fill the trays, insert and remove them, and how to keep them clean. We discuss how long you should wear the trays for each day. Some people prefer to leave them in overnight, while others opt for just a few hours.
You continue wearing the trays until your teeth achieve the desired shade, which normally takes around two weeks.
Although treatment is slower, it offers you more control over the whitening process. Sometimes, whitening more slowly can be desirable for individuals with very sensitive teeth. We can also prescribe a lower-strength whitening gel to ensure your treatment feels more comfortable.
- Combining Both Treatments
Some people choose to combine both treatments for maximum impact and to achieve the best teeth whitening results. In this case, you would have an in-office tooth whitening treatment first, and then continue to whiten at home using your custom kit.
Another nice thing about a custom kit is that you can top up the results later, as we can prescribe more whitening gel when appropriate.
The Teeth Whitening Process
Treatment is very straightforward and involves the following steps.
Step One: Consultation & Shade Assessment
You will need a consultation with our cosmetic dentist to determine the cause of your tooth staining and to assess whether teeth whitening is safe and suitable for you. We must make sure you have good dental health and that your teeth are strong and healthy enough to whiten safely and comfortably.
At this stage, we will assess your tooth shade and discuss the type of results you can reasonably expect to achieve. We will also discuss how you would like to whiten your teeth and provide a custom treatment plan outlining your Zoom whitening cost.
Step Two: Professional Dental Cleaning
It is a good idea to have your teeth professionally cleaned before undergoing any tooth whitening treatment. Removing all plaque and tartar (calculus) buildup helps the whitening gel penetrate your tooth enamel more easily.
A professional dental cleaning is also a great way to refresh your smile, so your teeth should appear slightly brighter afterward, and it helps protect your oral health.
Step Three: Scheduling Your Whitening Treatment
Once you have determined how you would like to have your teeth whitened, we can schedule your in-office treatment or provide and supply your custom whitening kit for use at home.
Step Four: Results & Maintenance Plan
Before you leave our dental office, we can advise you on how to care for your teeth immediately after treatment and until the dental pellicle reforms. The pellicle is a thin cellular layer consisting of molecules and proteins found in saliva, and it helps protect your teeth.
While the pellicle is reforming, it is better to avoid highly colored foods and drinks, as well as smoking, as these can penetrate your tooth enamel more easily, staining your teeth more quickly.
After completing your teeth whitening treatment, we can make sure you have achieved the desired results.
We can also discuss how frequently to top up your teeth whitening. The frequency will depend on your lifestyle habits and oral hygiene routine.
Benefits of Professional Teeth Whitening
The benefits of choosing a professional teeth whitening include:
- Treatment is safe, and a dental professional supervises you. It’s essential to remember that teeth whitening is a dental treatment, and in the wrong hands, these products can harm your dental health.
- As dental professionals, we can use stronger and more effective products than are available over the counter. These produce more reliable results safely.
- Every teeth whitening treatment is customized. For example, our dentist will ensure that you meet your goals and can take steps to address any concerns about sensitivity. Our professional products contain ingredients designed to minimize tooth sensitivity while protecting your precious dental enamel.
- A professional, in-office teeth whitening treatment is fast. It is perfect if you wish to whiten quickly in preparation for a special event.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Professional Teeth Whitening?
A professional teeth whitening treatment works best for people with:
- Tooth stains that are external or extrinsic and likely caused by smoking, food, and drink.
- Discoloration as a result of aging.
- Teeth and gums that are generally healthy and strong.
Who Is a Less Suitable Candidate for Professional Teeth Whitening?
People who are less suitable for teeth whitening include those with:
- Untreated dental issues like tooth decay or gum disease.
- Dental restorations like crowns, veneers, and fillings, as these will not whiten during treatment. If you have restorations, you may need to replace them after tooth whitening to get a more uniformly white smile.
- Internal or intrinsic stains in teeth, which can be caused by old root canals or exposure to tetracycline. In this case, it may be necessary to cover internally stained teeth with veneers or crowns to achieve a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.
We also do not recommend teeth whitening for anyone pregnant. Although the whitening products we use are extremely safe, for obvious reasons, there is limited research into how they may impact pregnancy. Therefore, it is far better to be cautious and wait until the baby is born.
Why Choose Professional Teeth Whitening?
We are aware that numerous over-the-counter products are available to whiten teeth, and that some treatments may be offered by individuals who are not dental professionals. However, it’s crucial to remember that when used improperly, whitening products can cause problems.
Overusing teeth whitening products can result in over-bleaching, causing teeth to appear lifeless, gray, and dull, and may lead to permanent damage. When used improperly, whitening treatments can cause other issues, such as tooth sensitivity or discomfort.
By choosing a professional whitening treatment, you can be assured of receiving safe and effective results that last longer. Professional tooth whitening is also very affordable.
Maintaining the Results of Professional Teeth Whitening Treatments
Once you have finished whitening your teeth, the results could last anywhere from 1 to 3 years, depending on your lifestyle habits.
Tips for maintaining the results for longer include:
- Avoid smoking.
- Avoid eating and drinking highly coloured foods and beverages, or rinse your mouth with plain water afterwards.
- Schedule regular dental cleanings, as these help remove some surface stains so your teeth look whiter for longer.
Consider occasionally touching up the results as frequently as we recommend.
NYC Dentistry Center6 E 45th Street, 8th Floor, Suite 2
New York, NY 10017
(212) 810-9264