What whitening options are available at your office?

We primarily have two methods to whiten teeth.  The first option is our free whitening for life program, where we take impressions of your teeth and make custom whitening trays.  We then provide you with syringes of whitening gel that you take home and apply yourself.  At each future hygiene appointment you have the option of getting more free gel to maintain a stain free smile.  The other option is in office whitening.  This is a procedure where you come in for about an hour and a half and have high strength gel applied under supervision.  This has the advantage of being completed in a single day, but is less free than the tray method.

Is whitening for everybody?

No, not everybody is a good candidate for whitening.  If you have particularly sensitive teeth it may be uncomfortable to whiten, as it tends to make teeth slightly more sensitive for a few days.  Most restorations that have been placed by dentists do not whiten, so if you have crowns or fillings on front teeth it may be inadvisable to lighten the other teeth and make them stand out.  If you have significant tooth decay it is likely necessary to correct this before whitening your teeth.  If you have any concerns about whether whitening is a good idea for you feel free to contact us!

How much will my teeth whiten?

The amount of whitening each person achieves can vary.  Whitening is most effective when the teeth are stained from external sources such as coffee, tea, wine, or food colorings.  It is much less effective when the cause is internal to the tooth.  If teeth are stained due to silver fillings in the teeth they may not lighten as much.  If they are stained from tetracycline antibiotic use as a child there will be little benefit.  As stated above crowns and veneers will not whiten at all, so if they are a good shade match already you may not wish to whiten the surrounding teeth.