Professional Teeth Whitening: The How, Why, And Everything In Between
Teeth whitening is quite a common treatment these days which not only gets rid of the plaque covering the surface of your teeth but also gives it a brighter and whiter shade.
Professional teeth whitening falls under the category of cosmetic dental treatment since it is primarily carried out to enhance your teeth’s appearance.
Let’s delve more into the details of how this process works, its pros and cons, and what you can expect of it in the long run.
Understanding In-House Professional Teeth Whitening:
As the name suggests, this process is nothing but getting your teeth whitened under the medical supervision of a dentist at a relevant clinic or hospital. An appointment of 1.5 hours may be needed because that’s how long a typical session of in-house professional teeth whitening lasts.
This is different compared to at-home teeth whitening wherein the procedure is carried out within your own home.
Many people undergo complete teeth whitening since it enhances your appearance and increases your chances of getting noticed among peers. Also, it adds to the overall charm and sharp personality that is necessary for a good professional career.
How is In-House teeth whitening carried out?
There are a number of specific, mandatory steps in the in-house teeth whitening treatment which give it its due course. The procedure may be tweaked a bit depending on your dentist and the clinic you get it done at. However, the overall process remains similar.
Your teeth are first scrubbed with pumice or any other granulated material to get rid of the plaque and the minute grit on the surface of your teeth.
Next, your mouth needs to be kept open with a fitted gauze that imparts easy access to the teeth without wetting due to saliva.
Another barrier may be placed alongside your gum line to further prevent any entry of saliva onto your teeth.
Once completely dry, your teeth are then coated with a peroxide-based bleaching and whitening agent. This is the first layer and is applied only on the front surface.
This application is allowed to set on your teeth until it leaves the desired tint for the first session or until the maximum time has passed. Multiple sessions can be performed depending on the whitening product/brand used in your dental office.
When the desired shade is achieved, the teeth are then rinsed followed by a general fluoride-based ointment to be applied all over the surface.
The whole process of in-house teeth whitening takes no more than 1.5 hours at the most. Some whitening solutions require to be laser-activated which may add another couple of minutes to the session.
Some dental offices prefer the laser-activated whitening solutions due to the belief that it may speed up the whitening process. However, there are scientific studies showing that the use of light activator sources with in-office bleaching treatment of vital teeth do not increase the efficacy of bleaching or accelerate the bleaching process.
What precautions do you need to take after the treatment?
You do need to take a few precautions immediately after your treatment is over, especially in the first 24 hours after whitening. Some of them are:
Avoid foods with high pigmentation, like sauces, ketchup, coffee, tea, candies, beetroots, black grapes, and red wine
Smoking and consuming tobacco are best kept on hold for the first 24 hours
You might be given a fluoride application in case of severe tooth sensitivity to prevent the whitening solution from having an adverse reaction
The results of this process are quite effective and long-lasting. However, you might need multiple sessions to achieve the desired shade with each session ranging from 60-90 minutes. This is performed at the clinic under the guidance of the medical expert.
The intensity of whitening depends on a number of factors like your current teeth color, plaque formation, and teeth sensitivity. Also, if you need extremely bright and white teeth, you might have to invest more time and more sessions in the process than usual.
Generally speaking, the after-effects of teeth whitening last for up to 3 years under favorable circumstances. Habits like smoking, tobacco, and consuming highly pigmented foods frequently may cause your freshly whitened teeth to start getting discolored sooner than expected.
What can you expect of this process?
Pros:
The biggest advantage of getting an in-house professional teeth whitening done is that it lasts long and is pretty effective. Other alternatives include using teeth whitening strips, whitening toothpastes, and charcoal-based treatments.
But getting an in-house professional service ensures that you get almost-immediate results with maximum accuracy under medical supervision.
Cons:
There are no cons of teeth whitening as such, but there may be certain side effects. The possible side effects of teeth whitening include sensitive teeth and irritated gums.
This is pretty common especially if you undergo an intense treatment in case of highly discolored teeth. The sensitivity of teeth and gums can be addressed using a fluoride-based ointment as recommended by your dentist.
What makes Downtown Dentist SF the best service provider in this regard?
The surest way of determining the maximum and the best outcome from your professional teeth whitening treatment is to get it done under the supervision of an experienced set of professionals with guaranteed great results.
Downtown Dentist SF is one of the most reliable names when it comes to dental care and treatment. In fact, there is a host of services we provide which include dental implants, veneers, Invisalign, bridges, cosmetic dentistry, and fitting crowns.
In addition to that, we have a team of expert and renowned professionals to cater to your dental needs even under urgency. The teeth whitening process at Downtown Dentist SF uses the Opalescence Boost system for better, faster, and longer-lasting results.
Our clients have been highly satisfied with their dental treatments and, rest assured, you’d be more than satisfied too!
We accept most major dental PPO plans and are even willing to submit your insurance claims for you. Moreover, our rates are quite flexible, reasonable, and easily affordable even for those without any dental insurance.
So, what are you waiting for? Reach out to us today and get your teeth professionally whitened at the earliest!