Teeth whitening in St. Augustine
As you grow older, stains start to build up on your teeth. When you look in the mirror, your smile could appear dull and discolored. A teeth bleaching dentist can help you address these concerns with professional whitening treatments that are easy, effective, and affordable. After your treatment sessions, you’ll leave the dental office with a radiant smile that boosts your confidence.
Why Should I Consider Having Professional Teeth Whitening?
Also called chair-side teeth whitening and power bleaching, in-office teeth whitening is much safer than at-home whitening. Your dentist will use a professional-strength bleaching gel that starts working immediately. You’ll notice dramatic improvements during your visit, and your teeth bleaching dentist will make sure that the treatment is painless.
Professional teeth bleaching is ideal for removing enamel stains that are caused by smoking or long-term use of particular foods and drinks. For example, professional whitening is particularly helpful in getting rid of stains from coffee, tea, wine, berries, and red sauces.
Teeth whitening can’t remove discoloration that’s caused by defective fillings, tooth decay, or tetracycline. In addition, dental fillings, crowns, veneers, and other restorations aren’t affected by bleaching. After a teeth whitening treatment, your natural teeth will be lighter in color, but the colors of your dental restorations will not change. This can result in color variations in teeth with restorations.
Before you begin teeth whitening treatment, our dentists will examine your teeth. The exam allows our clinical teams to find the underlying cause of your tooth discoloration. This information is used to select the safest and most effective teeth whitening options for your needs. Our dental teams will ensure that you’re completely satisfied with your treatment results.
What Should I Know About Teeth Whitening at Home?
If you’d like to whiten your teeth at home, ask about our take-home kits. Our dentists will build your take-home kit to meet your oral health needs and teeth whitening goals. After taking impressions of your upper and lower teeth, our team will create customized trays that you can fill with our professional-strength whitening gel. If you wear the trays for an hour a day over a 14-day period, your teeth will be up to six shades lighter.
How Much Does Teeth Bleaching Cost?
The cost of teeth bleaching is different for each patient. The price you pay will depend on the type of teeth whitening system you use and the number of treatments you need. If you need follow-up care or repairs to match the colors of dental restorations, these procedures will increase your treatment costs. In addition, the use of take-home kits will impact your final bill.
To find out more about the cost of professional teeth bleaching, book an appointment with our dental team. We’ll be able to give you an accurate estimate after examining your teeth and discussing your treatment goals.
What Are the Differences Between Professional and Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Products?
Professional-grade whitening products are a lot stronger than over-the-counter options. With professional treatments, you’ll get consistent results, and the products work much more quickly than drugstore options. If you use whitening toothpastes, rinses, strips or other over-the-counter items, you might see minor improvements. However, compared to the results from professional products, over-the-counter results won’t be as dramatic or reliable.
If you use over-the-counter products incorrectly, you may cause permanent damage to your teeth. You might experience tooth sensitivity, gum irritation, or bleeding gums, and your results may be uneven. In addition, the chemicals in some over-the-counter options could cause enamel erosion. With professional whitening treatments, your dentist will supervise the entire process, eliminating the risk of user error.
What Will Happen During My Teeth Whitening Procedure?
The steps involved in your in-office teeth bleaching procedure will depend on the specific system your dentist is using. In general, the following stages are included in a professional whitening treatment:
- You’ll have a dental exam and cleaning.
- Your dentist will take photos to check the current shade of your teeth and monitor your progress.
- Your dentist will put a cheek retractor in your mouth so that he or she can see all of your teeth.
- The dentist will protect your gums by applying a special liquid.
- Several coatings of whitening gel will be applied in separate stages. Each coating will be left on your teeth for a specific amount of time. When the time is up, the dentist will remove the coating, and the process will be repeated.
- With certain types of teeth whitening systems, the dentist may place a powerful light on your teeth to optimize your results.
- After the last layer of whitening gel is applied, your dentist will assess the shade of your teeth. He or she may recommend follow-up visits or the use of a take-home kit.
Our dentists are here to help you have a bright smile that makes you happy. Reach out to our teams today to explore all of your options for teeth whitening in St. Augustine.