What is in-office bleaching?

In-office bleaching is probably the most popular and perfect choice to whiten your teeth in a very short period of time.

In-office bleaching treatment takes about two hours. It’s fast and effective. First, the condition of the teeth and gums are examined. The present whiteness of the teeth will be noted and the shade of whiteness which you can look forward to will be made known. This of course depends on how well the tooth enamel reacts to the whitening process. Generally, it whitens pretty well with this technique, except on porcelain or tooth colored fillings that will not change from their original color.

The teeth are then cleaned by removing any plaque or food particles. Then a special barrier is placed on the gums to protect them as it can lead to a short burning sensation. Retractors may be used to keep cheeks, lips, and tongue coming in contact with the bleaching gel.

Later, a special gel with a high concentration of peroxide is applied on the front surface of the teeth and remains for about 20 minutes. This gel is activated by a very high intensity blue light directed on the teeth, to release more oxygen from the gel. That pretty much takes about two hours to get upper and lower arches completed. Most likely, at least three shades of whitening will be accomplished during that time.

Once the most favorable shade has been achieved, or the most application time exceeded, the teeth should be thoroughly cleaned with water. A fluoride treatment after the procedure is done to soothe and lessen the sensitivity some people experience with tooth bleaching. You must keep away from food and beverages with dark coloring, like coffee, tea, tomato sauce or juice, yellow mustard, red wine, and tobacco for one day following the treatment, so that the enamel pores close in order to prevent re-staining.

Meet with a professional cosmetic dental specialist whose expertise and caring manner guarantees to bring out the best smile in you.

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