Whitening of the teeth is performed for patients who desire a brighter smile. Tooth whitening can be performed to reduce discoloration and staining, or simply to provide the patient with whiter, brighter teeth.
How white your teeth can become from bleaching and whitening is a common question with a very subjective answer. Some whitening procedures claim they can whiten your teeth by up to nine shades, but that is highly unlikely. Just a change of two or three shades will make a significant difference in just about anyone’s smile.
Not all of your teeth are the same natural color. Usually, your eye teeth tend to be darker than the others, your front teeth are typically the whitest, and molars tend to be a shade between the two. The goal for everyone is to achieve their individual optimum whiteness while still looking natural.
During your first consultation for tooth whitening, Dr. Kinn will go over what you personally can expect for your specific smile. How white teeth will become from a given procedure will vary from person to person. The structure of your teeth and the type of procedure implemented will affect the outcome.
Teeth enamel discoloration can be caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Some of the more common causes of teeth discoloration are medications, coffee, tea, or cigarettes. People who drink significant amounts of cola soft drinks can experience similar staining.
Aside from staining, there are other factors that can affect the color of an individual’s teeth. Genetics can play a role. Some people have naturally brighter enamel than others. Disease can also be a factor and certain medications can cause discoloration of the teeth. If you suspect that there is an underlying medical cause for your teeth discoloration, be sure to inform the dentist.
Our office offers many forms of tooth whitening.
The simplest form of teeth whitening that we offer is called the Zoom Whitening Pen and is comparable to over-the-counter whitening products. It is good for touch-ups and minor teeth whitening. It is a very convenient and economical whitening product that takes only 30 secs to apply.
We also office another convenient take-home teeth whitening product called Opalescence Go. This whitening system uses a professional strength whitening gel that is pre-loaded in disposable trays. These trays quickly adapt to your teeth and act as customized trays. When you are finished with the 30-minute treatment, you simply throw away the tray. Results generally begin to show after just 2 or 3 treatments, but typically takes 7-10 treatments to get the best results.
Another form of whitening we offer uses reusable customized trays. For this type of teeth whitening system, impressions or a 3D scan are taken of your mouth and a thin custom-made plastic tray is made, which you will take home. A small amount of the whitening gel is placed in the tray and you will wear it for approximately 1-2 hours each day. While some results may be seen in a couple of days, it usually takes two to three weeks to see the full whitening of your teeth. The advantage of this system is that the whitening gel can be focused on individual teeth, so if certain teeth need to be whitened rather than all teeth, this can be achieved by only placing the whitening gel in those teeth positions.
For immediate teeth whitening, we offer Zoom In-Office Whitening. This is ideal if you want your teeth whitened immediately, and is great to quickly refresh your smile for a social event such as a wedding or family photos. During this in-office procedure, a whitening gel will be placed on your teeth and then a laser light is shown on the gel. This speeds up the whitening process dramatically. Afterward, you will be given customized whitening trays to maintain your whitening at home.
In general, whitening can cause teeth sensitivity. The higher the strength of whitening the more chance of teeth sensitivity. Taking an over-the-counter analgesic like Tylenol™ or aspirin almost always resolves the feeling. In moderate cases, a clear dentist-dispensed fluoride rinse may help as well. It is best to avoid very hot or very cold drinks for the first 24 hours if there is any tooth sensitivity.
Yes. Our teeth whitening procedures will not soften enamel or existing fillings. the primary ingredient in our whitening gels is hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which has been safely used in teeth whitening for over 100 years and is recognized as an effective whitening ingredient by the dental community.
Before moving forward with one of our whitening treatments, Dr. Kinn will examine your mouth and gums to ensure they are healthy. If any potential problems are detected, a recommendation is made to correct the problems before proceeding with our whitening process.
At-home or in-office tray systems for whitening teeth with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide under the supervision of a dentist have been shown to be safe for teeth and gums. Some patients have experienced increased tooth sensitivity and some temporary discomfort of their gums. These symptoms tend to disappear within 1-3 days after stopping the process. Usually, after the sensitivity disappears the whitening process can be started again. In any case, any reaction (though rare) should be reported immediately to Dr. Kinn or your hygienist for their special instructions.
Whitening should be done prior to the placement of composites, bonding, veneers, and crowns in order to achieve a close match of your new tooth color. If you have tooth-colored filling materials on your front teeth, the fillings will stay the same color–dental restorations do not change color when tooth whitener is applied. New cosmetic procedures such as bonding or crowns should be delayed a minimum of two weeks after the whitening procedure so that the new tooth shade can stabilize itself.
Again, you may experience sensitivity from the use of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide-based tooth whitening systems and this should be reported to our office as soon as possible so that we can help remedy the sensitivity. As of this time, these products are not recommended for patients that are pregnant or lactating.
Patients with moderate to severe periodontal disease, patients with marked gingival recession, and patients that have defective dental restorations should consult with their dentist prior to using a tooth whitening system. Patients that are allergic to hydrogen peroxide should refrain from this process. Heavy smokers should be aware that results would be limited unless they are willing to refrain from tobacco during the process.
“What a fantastic group of professionals who make you feel comfortable and welcomed. Clean place very nicely decorated with wonderful pieces of art. The experience you get there is one of awe and it gives you a great sense of what a positive dentist visit should be like. Let’s face it, it’s not the place everyone wants to go to all the time. Love the train that goes around.
I just went in for a new procedure. Today I went in to get fitted to make my mouth tests for my teeth whitening procedure. They were having a 25%-off the ZOOM brand but I opted for their own specialty one. I BBC will put them to the test!!! Had a great experience and my assistant was so friendly. I can’t wait to see my results. For me it’s a great time when I go to my dentistry office! Want great customer service from A-Z then schedule your first appointment with them. BTW mention that I sent you and see if you get a little first time customer credit.”
Mon, Tue, Wed: 8-6
Thu: 7-5
Friday: closed
Saturday: closed
Sunday: closed
335 N Main St.
Fostoria, OH 44830
