311 Park Avenue, Falls Church, VA 22046 | 703-241-0666
Services
Teeth Whitening
There’s nothing quite like a bright, winning smile. To maintain that smile you should brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, and visit the dentist for regular checkups. For many people, these measures are enough to ensure a sparkling smile. Others, however, might wish to whiten their darkened, stained teeth. For such individuals, a variety of techniques are available. These are collectively known as “dental bleaching.”
Why are my teeth yellow?
Over time, the teeth can become stained and discolored, even in individuals who are vigilant about dental hygiene. Teeth tend to discolor naturally with age; they can be further stained by beverages such as coffee, tea, and red wine, or by tobacco use. Antibiotics such as tetracycline can also cause teeth to yellow over time. Happily, there are a number of options available to those individuals who would like a whiter smile.
What can I do about it?
We are glad to offer our patients a number of routes to a brilliant smile.
Crest Whitestrips – the least complicated and involved whitening system we offer. Whitestrips are gel-covered plastic strips that are placed on the upper and lower teeth for about 30 minutes, twice daily. The active ingredient, hydrogen peroxide, is an oxidizing agent found in many whitening products. While you can purchase many of the Whitestrips variants over-the-counter, Whitestrips Supreme is a professional product only available through your dentist. It has a higher concentration of active ingredient (14%) than over-the-counter products (3-10%).
At-Home Bleaching – the oldest and most “traditional” system for whitening teeth. In at-home whitening the oxidizing agent is a bleaching gel, applied to the teeth via thin plastic trays. At-home dental bleaching begins in our office, where we take an impression of your teeth and create custom trays that can be worn at night. The whitening gel is applied to the trays before bed, worn overnight and removed in the morning.
The active agent in the at-home whitening system we offer is carbamide peroxide, a chemical relative of hydrogen peroxide. The gel also contains a small amount of potassium fluoride, which strengthens enamel and increases resistance to cavities.
In-Office Bleaching – the fastest and most intense dental bleaching procedure we offer. We fit you for the same trays as at-home bleaching. Once the trays are ready, we paint a light-cured protective layer on the gums and papilla, to reduce the risk of irritation. A high-concentration carbamide peroxide gel is then applied to the teeth, typically for 15-20 minutes. The trays are removed, and the procedure is repeated up to two more times. The trays are yours to take home, and take-home bleach syringes are available so that you can maintain that sparkling smile.
Is dental bleaching effective?
In short, yes. Dental bleaching is not for everyone, but for many people it can provide dramatic results in a relatively short time. Whitening procedures are semi-permanent, but of course teeth that have stained before are prone to staining again. Results can remain intact without maintenance for as long as a year given optimal conditions, but this timeline can be shortened significantly by tobacco use and the consumption of beverages that stain.
Is it safe?
Some patients report temporary tooth sensitivity or mild irritation of the oral mucosa, particularly the gums. These side effects are generally mild and can be treated with analgesic pastes. If present, they disappear within a few days of the end of treatment. Sensitivity caused by in-office whitening can be avoided with a subsequent in-office fluoride treatment, so ask us if you are concerned.
The only other real risks are overbleaching and rebound. Overbleaching, as the name implies, creates unnaturally white teeth; it occurs most often when patients use at-home bleaching systems for longer durations than indicated. Rebound, on the other hand, is a term that describes a loss of the bleaching effect shortly after treatment. It is most common after intensive treatments that provide significant whitening over a short period. Rebound is most common in cases where the observed tooth whitening is due to dehydration of the tooth tissue. As the tissue rehydrates, the original discoloration returns. You can avoid rebound through maintenance bleaching at home.
Is dental bleaching right for me?
Dental bleaching has been repeatedly proven completely safe. However, that does not mean that whitening is right for everyone. Prior to any treatment, we will examine you to determine whether or not dental bleaching is a good fit.
Patients whose healthy, natural teeth have surface stains caused by coffee, tea, red wine or tobacco are the best candidates for whitening treatments. In general, yellow teeth respond better to whitening than gray teeth.
Teeth with deep stains, such as those caused by fluorosis and tetracycline, are less responsive to bleaching. In addition, dental bleaching does not whiten artificial materials, so it may not be appropriate for patients with large fillings or crowns. And due to the risk of sensitivity, bleaching is not usually recommended for patients with sensitive or worn teeth.
We want you to smile with confidence and know that you look your best. If you would like a whiter, brighter smile, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
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