How Does Professional Teeth Whitening Work?

Whitening teeth is one of the most common treatments people seek to brighten up their appearance. Teeth on the more yellow side of the spectrum are more common than bright white, so if you want to feel proud of your beautiful smile in photos for years to come, whitening your teeth is the way to go. When it comes to treatment, options include achieving quick and beautiful results right in a dental office such as R+R Dental Cosmetic + Family Dentistry or a slow process over the course of many days or weeks using at-home products. 

Prior to an actual teeth whitening appointment, your dentist will likely need to see you for a consultation appointment. During this session, they will make notes in your dental chart regarding the current shade of your teeth for later comparison. Also, they will discuss with you what your goals are as well as the reality of what will be possible to achieve. It is important to understand that while noticeable results are probable during the first session, it can sometimes take more than one whitening session to achieve the gleaming white shade that you may be hoping for. This depends on the state of your current teeth stains, such as what caused those and just how far away from true white the shade is at this point. Your dentist will want to be sure you are a good candidate for this procedure as sometimes sensitive teeth experience discomfort following a whitening treatment, and this is something they will evaluate and want to avoid.

On the day of your teeth whitening appointment, they will begin the procedure by prepping your mouth. These are important steps meant to allow the greatest results in terms of whiter teeth as well as protect the delicate gum line from damage and unnecessary pain. These measures that protect the gums are one of the best benefits of having a professional perform your teeth whitening because one of the most common concerns people have with at-home whitening kits is the uncomfortable sensitivity experienced following over-the-counter treatments. Prepping your gumline with a barrier for protection is meant to prevent potential discomfort. 

One courtesy often provided is to apply vitamin E oil to your lips during preparation to help avoid dehydration and subsequent cracking. A mouth retractor will be placed, which holds your lips and cheeks away from your teeth in order for those to be kept dry and accessible. At first, this can feel somewhat awkward, but the key is to keep your cheeks and lips relaxed. As with many common dental procedures, gauze, and cotton will be inserted in the mouth to help keep everything dry. Protecting the gums from the whitening gel is achieved by applying a liquid rubber barrier along the gumline. 

Once all protective barriers are in place and your teeth have been polished for a clean application surface, the whitening solution is applied to your teeth. They may brush the solution to spread it evenly, but this step is not necessary; it just depends on their preferred method. In order to cure the whitening solution, a clinical-grade blue light will be attached to the mouth retractor that holds your lips open. This part of the procedure can include a few rounds, and each lasts for up to about 15 minutes, during which time you will need to keep very still in order to keep the blue light in place. Next, the whitening solution is suctioned off, all barriers placed are removed, and the mouth is rinsed clean.

Opting for a professional, in-office teeth whitening procedure is a great choice for anyone who desires to achieve a pristine sparkling smile. This method is popular among those who do not want to deal with all the work and hassle of time-consuming at-home kits. Everyone loves a brighter, whiter smile, so it’s easy to see why teeth whitening is one of the most requested cosmetic dental procedures available.