Teeth bleaching / whitening at The Gentle Dentist is a very popular and requested procedure to whiten teeth in the Sterling Heights, Shelby Twp, Michigan area. Teeth whitening is the most common dental cosmetic procedure done because it is typically fast and very effective.  A pleasing smile consisting of  bright white teeth is the first thing noticed by others. The question becomes what is the best way for me to have a bright white smile?

If your teeth are natural without tooth colored fillings or crowns in the front you are probably a candidate.

Crest White Strips are an effective and safe method for whitening your teeth; however, the product’s main drawback is that you must apply the strips every day and sometimes this can be cumbersome.  The strips don’t always stay in place and must be constantly pressed into place while it is to be worn throughout the day.  If your teeth are not quite all in alignment then the teeth that are further towards the lips can get more bleaching material than those that are more towards the inside of the mouth.  This can give an uneven result as far as the color is concerned.

Professional Teeth bleaching consists of a combination of two techniques:

  • In Office Teeth Bleaching: Using a high concentrated hydrogen peroxide solution that is placed on the teeth in the office will get you a jump start to a whiter smile.   This step requires about 90 minutes in the office with 2-3 20 minute sessions.  A material is painted onto the gums and then hardened.  This is used to protect the gums from being exposed to the high intense bleaching solution.  When we use the Zoom! Whitening System the high intensity light is used to activate the bleaching material into the teeth.  When we use the Kor Whitening System there is no light used.
  • Take home bleaching trays: These are used to give the Zoom! or Kor Whitening Systems the opportunity to work better and to give the teeth more time to become whiter.  The single in office session is used to jump start the process, but is not usually enough to have long term whitening.  The most important factor in bleaching is the time that the bleach has to spend on the teeth. The longer that it is in contact with the teeth the whiter the teeth become.  If the in office portion is only used there is usually a disappointing result because the color fades rather quickly after the visit.
  • Using the custom bleaching trays during the night alone is probably the most popular professional method used. With this method a result can be seen in about 2 nights.  It is necessary to wear the bleaching trays for about 2 weeks but the benefit is that in about 6 months after you can pop them in again and brighten your teeth overnight.  Once the teeth have been previously bleached they can be reactivated with one to two nights of wearing the trays.

This can be confusing but remember that professional bleaching is more controlled than the over the counter whitening strips because you are seeing the dentist.  If you have cavities that need to be restored they should be done before the bleaching is started.  If you have any questions about your smile and are located in the Macomb or Oakland County areas of Michigan then give us a call at (586)247-3500 or email me at DrAntolak@TheGentleDentist.com.  Our address is 15055 22 Mile, Shelby Township, Michigan 48315.