TEETH WHITENING INFORMATION
1. General Information:
Teeth Whitening is designed to lighten the color of your teeth. Significant lightening can be achieved in the vast majority of cases, but the results cannot be guaranteed. When done properly, the whitening will not harm your teeth or gums. However, like any other treatment, it has some inherent risks and limitations. These are seldom serious enough to discourage you from having your teeth whitened, but should be considered when deciding to have the treatment.
2. Candidates for Teeth Whitening:
Just about anyone is a candidate for teeth whitening. However, the following cases should be considered:
• People with dark yellow or yellow‐brown teeth tend to whiten better than people with gray or bluish‐gray teeth.
• Multi‐colored teeth, especially if due to tetracycline, do not whiten very well.
• People with significant periodontal disease are not good candidates
• If you are pregnant, obtain permission from your doctor before trying the whitening procedure.
• People with minimal discoloration, (teeth that are already very white) may not see a substantial degree of whitening.
• Teeth with many fillings, cavities, chips, etc., are usually best treated by bonding, porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns. Any current restoration you have, such as, fillings, porcelain crowns, onlays and inlays cannot be whitened.
3. Types of Teeth Whitening:
• IN-OFFICE WHITENING ‐ This process can be done in one visit or may require multiple visits depending on how your teeth respond to the whitening gel. Each appointment takes approximately one to two hours (1/2‐1 hour preparation and 1 hour treatment) The advantages of In-office whitening include our doing all the work for you and in less total time than you would spend at home whitening your teeth. The disadvantages include the normal inconveniences of any dental treatment, such as, having to keep your mouth open for the duration of the appointment and the possibility of increased costs as compared to home whitening.
• TAKE-HOME WHITENING ‐ This process, which can be done anywhere and anytime, involves wearing a custom‐made whitening tray (looks like a thin, transparent mouthguard) filled with a mild whitening agent for optimal results. You should wear the gel‐filled tray from 45 minutes per day to overnight depending on the strength of the whitening agent. You should continue treatment for about one to two weeks, depending on the degree of whitening desired. The advantages of home whitening include performing the treatment when it is convenient for you with lower costs. The disadvantage to home whitening is that the success of the treatment is dependent on your commitment to wearing the whitening tray consistently for the prescribed period.
4. YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
• WEARING YOUR WHITENING TRAY ‐ If you choose home whitening, it will only be effective if you conscientiously wear the tray for the prescribed time for the one to three weeks.
• COMPLICATIONS ‐ If you experience any severe discomfort or other problems, discontinue the whitening and contact us immediately. Most sensitivity is usually transient and disappears after one to several days.