BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER MY IN-OFFICE WHITENING TREATMENT
Our smiles are what introduce us in a first impression. They are how we express ourselves and often a reflection or impact how we feel about ourselves and view ourselves. When you truly love how your smile looks, you will radiate confidence and smile more freely. In essence, this is what I love most about the gift of an enhanced smile procedure.
Professional teeth whitening treatments help you regain and retain confidence in your smile by eliminating the stains that cause build up and discoloration over time.
Our in-office whitening treatments are gentle and safe on your teeth, yet provide strong whitening power, allowing us to brighten your smile by several shades in a single visit and treatment. But if you have never had one of these treatments before, you may be wondering what to expect. To ensure your visit goes as smoothly as possible, this blog will provide a breakdown of what you can expect at every step.
Preparing Your Treatment
Our teeth whitening treatments are safe, quick and straightforward. To ensure the best results, we encourage you to schedule a regular exam and cleaning before any cosmetic procedure. This will ensure that your teeth and gums are healthy enough to receive the desired treatment. Seeing Dr. Jivan before your treatment will allow him to catch and treat any other issues you may have early on.
While maintaining a good brushing and flossing routine is ideally part of your typical hygiene, in the days leading up to your treatment, try and be extra diligent in your routine.
If you have crowns or veneers, it is a good idea to consider them before you receive your treatment. The porcelain material of dental restorations won’t change shades along with your natural teeth. Your teeth may have collected new debris or staining that has now yellowed your natural teeth since you got your crown or veneer, in which case a natural whitening to bring you back to a matching shade may be appropriate.
Receiving Your Whitening Treatment
Before receiving your treatment, our expert hygienists will perform a deep cleaning to remove any tartar and plaque built up on your teeth. We do this to ensure that any surface staining is removed to ensure that your teeth are as clean as possible to get you the most of your whitening treatment. Once we ensure that your teeth are clean, we will gauze your mouth to keep your mouth comfortable and dry. Our whitening gel solutions are harmless to your teeth but can irritate sensitive areas like your gums, lips, and cheeks. To maximize your comfort, we may use a reactor (think bite-block) to help you relax your jaw during the procedure. We will then paint your gums with a protective barrier before applying the whitening gel to the front surface of your teeth.
We will then use a medical grade light that is specialized to activate the whitening gel. This is much stronger than any at-home whitening program lights and will require you to process for an hour. During your treatment you can stream your favorite shows from your personal TV using sanitized headphones for you to keep after your appointment.
Your treatment is completely painless but you may experience slight tingling or warm sensation from the light. Once your teeth whitening treatment is complete, your teeth will be given a good rinse and you’ll get to preview your new smile!
Caring for Your New Smile
One of the most common side effects of in-office whitening can be tooth sensitivity. This is a temporary side affect that will subside within a few hours or days. In the meantime, we will send home a specialized tooth paste that can help reduce any sensitivity.
As a reminder, your whitening treatment only removes existing stains and cannot prevent future staining or discoloration. In general, you will want to avoid acidic or colorful foods and stick to light colored fruits and veggies, plain yogurt and chicken.
After a few days pass you can go back to your regularly programmed eating and drinking! Still, you want to be conscious of your choices and limit drinks like coffee, wine and sodas. Using a straw is an easy fix to enjoying some of your favorite dark beverages. Brushing with whitening toothpaste and maintaining regular cleanings with Dr. Jivan is essential to keeping your bright smile protected.
Touch-up treatments are available for a periodic refresh to bring your smile back after a few months. With good hygiene, you’ll be able to ensure long-term whitening and maybe get a touch-up just once a year.
Invest in Our Professional Whitening to Bring Your Smile Back to Life!
Dr. Jivan’s whitening treatments are a safe and effective way to whiten your teeth several shades in just a single appointment. If you’d like to schedule a whitening treatment, feel free to call our office at any time!