Teeth Whitening
Sometimes no matter what you do, how often you brush, how regularly you rinse, you just can’t seem to get that sparkle back into your smile. Teeth can darken, get stained, and discolor for several reasons. And the most common?
Yellowing of aging due to thinning of white-colored enamel that shows the yellow-colored dentin underneath. You can also get tooth stains from drinking coffee, tea, or soda and eating high-pigment foods like dark berries. Even a blow to the mouth, old silver-colored fillings, and tetracycline treatment can leave your teeth dingy.
As your dentist in Waterloo, we provide professional in-office teeth whitening and take home kits, so you can smile with complete confidence again.
What to Expect from Professional Take-Home Teeth Whitening
We will make custom-made trays (made from high-grade medical plastic) that specifically contour to the unique shape of your teeth to ensure the best results because the tray not only fits well, but fits snuggly to hold the whitening product without leaking.
The process starts by taking impressions of both your upper and lower teeth with a non-toxic dental putty. This takes mere minutes in the dental chair and we can either schedule an appointment just for this, or we can work it into another appointment such as your regular visit with your hygienist. Many of you have had impressions taken of your teeth previously … if you’ve ever had orthodontics or a dental restoration such as a crown, bridge, inlay, onlay, or implant.
We’ll record the shade of your teeth so we can compare their before-whitening color to their final whiteness after treatment is complete.
We’ll discuss exactly how bright you want your teeth to go. Some people just want to go a little lighter, while others want the brighter-than-bright look of Hollywood stars. Let us know what you want to achieve and we’ll discuss the possibilities.
Once these impressions are set (again, it takes just moments), they are sent to a lab where your custom-fit trays are made. We only use the best labs, ones that have delivered great service and top-quality products.
Once the lab completes the fabrication of your custom teeth whitening trays, they will ship them priority back to our practice.
When your trays are here, we’ll schedule an appointment for you to come in. We may ask you stay a moment so that we can double check their fit.
We’ll also give you one-to-one instructions on how to fill with just the right amount of whitening solution (never overfill as it will waste gel and you don’t want to ingest it), how to wear the trays, when to wear the trays, and how to clean them.
In-office Teeth whitening in 5 Steps
- Cleaning – Before in-office teeth whitening treatment begins, we need to ensure your teeth are very clean as anything that is between the whitening agent and the teeth (for example plaque, tartar, or food debris) will act as a barrier and lessen the results or make the whitening treatment uneven. That’s why a professional dental cleaning in our practice will ensure that debris is fully removed prior to starting treatment. It’s like any other cleaning experience you’ve had during previous hygiene appointments! We’ll remove the hard calculus or tartar from above and below the gumline (something only your dental professional can do), and then we’ll polish your teeth. Many of our patients find it a time saver (and a money saver) if we combine an in-office teeth whitening treatment with your usual regularly scheduled hygiene appointment. Just make sure we have enough time to schedule in an extended appointment. Give us a call today!
- Determination of desired tooth shade – First we’ll discuss your whitening goals. Before you arrive, consider the level of whitening you’d like. Some of our patients just want a bit of a pick-me-up while others want that Hollywood flash! The professional-strength whitening gel we use is powerful enough to lighten teeth up to eight shades – and that’s gorgeously dramatic! Once we’ve decided together the level of whitening you want to achieve, we will show you an example of the desired color next to your current teeth with the use of a shade guide (like an artist’s color wheel), so that together we’ll re-confirm the optimal shade for your new smile, confirming our direction. We will then document your pre-treatment teeth color so that after treatment, we can compare and admire.
- Isolation of your teeth and application of the whitening agent – We take precautions to ensure that the whitening gel is applied to your teeth. This is done by use of a physical barrier that is placed over your gums. We’ll also place a protective barrier so that your lips do not touch the whitening gel. All these isolation procedures are done because the whitening gel, with it’s powerful whitening agent, can irritate your gums, lips, cheeks, and tongue. As always, we want you to be 100% comfortable. We’ll show you everything we’re going to use as we go along. If at any time you have questions or are not clear on the treatment steps, let us know. We want you to have all the answers you need.
- Activation! – Once the isolation is in place, it’s time to get the teeth whitening working for you! The in-office teeth whitening gel will be applied carefully by hand. When all your teeth are evenly covered with the gel, we will shine a “curing light” on your teeth. This step triggers the active ingredients in the whitening gel and the teeth whitening gets underway.
- Active Teeth Whitening – Once the gel is in place and the curing light is on, we allow time for the transformation. While you wait, just lie back and relax. We’ll make sure you have everything you need to make the time pass quickly and that you’re as comfortable as possible. And if there’s anything that you need, just let us know.
Smile! – Your in-office teeth whitening appointment will usually be completed within 60 to 90 minutes. Many of our patients come during their lunch hour having anticipated a bit of an extension. When your treatment is completed, and the whitening gel has done its work, there’s just a couple more steps to do. The first is to remove the whitening. It will be thoroughly washed off your teeth. The second and last step? The big reveal! Together we’ll celebrate your in-office teeth whitening smile transformation!
If you would like to brighten your smile, call (519) 886-8980 today to make an appointment. After a thorough oral examination, we’ll be able to make a diagnosis and design a whitening treatment that will get your smile the brightest it can be. Call Iris Dentistry now at (519) 886-8980! We’d be happy to welcome you!