Procedures

Your wedding is coming up and you want your smile to be its brightest. Or maybe you have an important speaking engagement. Whatever the reason, teeth bleaching isn't just for the movie stars, and it isn't just for one day. Millions of people have had their teeth bleached, and probably millions more are thinking about it. The desire for whiter teeth is very strong, and teeth bleaching safely lightens the color of the teeth, lasting for up to three years and longer with regular touchups.

The most effective and safest method of tooth bleaching is dentist-supervised.

Generally, bleaching is successful in at least 90 percent of patients. Consider tooth bleaching if your teeth are darkened from age, coffee, tea, or smoking. Teeth darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange respond better to lightening. Other types of gray stains caused by fluorosis, smoking, or tetracycline are lightened, but results are not as dramatic. If you have very sensitive teeth, periodontal disease, or teeth with worn enamel, we may discourage bleaching.

Tray whitening: Bleaching the teeth with Take-Home Trays is accomplished by wearing bleaching trays with bleaching gel in them. The trays will be made of thin clear flexible vinyl. Most patients find these trays very comfortable to wear and sleep with. You will be given a bleaching kit. This kit includes bleaching gel, fluoride, and a storage case for the bleaching trays. Whitening your teeth with the at-home bleaching trays is best done with a commitment of wearing trays to bed for at least 4-6 weeks. $380.00

Deep Bleaching: There is no one-visit "fast" bleaching technique today that makes teeth the very whitest they can be. Zoom II teeth bleaching has been shown to be most effective when combined with an at-home tray bleaching technique. The Deep Bleaching technique combines several techniques and is thought to be the most effective teeth whitening technique known today. The Deep Bleaching technique appears to get teeth significantly whiter than ever before possible. Patients who previously were unable to bleach as white as they would have liked can now bleach significantly whiter.

The first session of Deep teeth Bleaching will start with a Zoom II teeth bleaching in our office, which will "condition" the teeth to absorb oxygen more readily from the bleaching gel in your at home bleaching trays. Do not expect a tremendous color change from this "conditioning" first visit. Immediately following the "conditioning visit", at home trays will be worn for 14 consecutive nights. After the 14th night of at home Deep Bleaching, the final Deep Bleaching with Zoom II teeth bleaching will be performed in our office, and will provide significant additional whitening over what will have already been accomplished. The result will be WOW!

We know you will be thrilled with your Deep Bleaching whitening result, but only if you are able to comply with the above instructions - they are important. $1000.00

Zoom II teeth Whitening With Trays: The II Teeth Bleaching In Zoom office Whitening System combined with Take Home Whitening Trays is a fast and safe way to brighten your smile. However, treatment may not be as effective for some as it is for others. We will determine if you are a candidate for this procedure through a thorough oral exam. The Zoom II bleaching procedure is simple. It begins with a short preparation to cover your lips and gums, leaving only your teeth exposed. The Zoom II teeth whitening gel is applied, and your teeth are then exposed to a specially designed light. The Zoom II light and gel work together to gently penetrate your enamel, breaking up stains and discoloration. The complete procedure takes about two hours. Some sensitivity may be expected up to 24 hours after the procedure. To keep your teeth looking their best, we will make bleaching trays and give you whitening gel to take home. All natural teeth darken with time. It's normal. We recommend you wear the bleaching trays while you sleep, at least one night every three to four months, to help maintain your color. $795.00

If you already have whitening trays but you want to brighten or boost your smile the Zoom II teeth Whitening the cost will be $595.00.

We do not recommend the Zoom II teeth Whitening without the touch up trays to maintain your brighter smile. In our experience, it doesn't last well without tray follow up.

The longer you use the bleaching gel, the whiter the teeth get. It often takes six weeks or longer to get the teeth the color you desire. In some cases, porcelain veneers are required to give you the smile of your dreams.

Lightness should last for about one to five years depending on your personal habits, such as smoking and drinking coffee and tea. At this point you could use a touch up. The procedure will not be as costly the next time because you can probably still use the same mouthguard. The retreatment time also is much shorter than the original treatment time.

The active ingredient in most of the whitening agents is carbamide peroxide. When water contacts this white crystal, the release of hydrogen peroxide lightens the teeth.

Several studies have proven its safety during the past five years. The American Dental Association has also granted its seal of approval to some teeth bleaching products. Some patients may experience slight gum irritation or tooth sensitivity, which will resolve when the treatment ends. In our experience, about one in twenty patients have enough cold sensitivity or discomfort from the tray bleaching that they just cannot do it. Most of the time using fluoride or shortening the time the tray is in your mouth will allow you to whiten your teeth comfortably. In those cases where it just isn't working, we offer a full refund of the fee for the trays.

No one can really predict how much lighter your teeth will become. Every case is different. However, typically there is a two-shade improvement as seen on a dentist's shade guide. The success rate depends upon the type of stain and your compliance. Bleaching can only provide a shift in color from gray to a lighter shade of gray, for example. Bleaching does not lighten artificial materials such as resins, silicates or porcelains.