Teeth Whitening

Tooth whitening is an easy dental treatment option that can alter the color of your teeth. This is a simple way to enhance the beauty and appearance of your smile.

Tooth whitening is one of the cosmetic services we offer at Bay Lakes Center for Complex Dentistry. We offer both Zoom whitening and an at-home system. Regardless of which option you choose, the end result will be a white and beautiful smile that you will be proud of. Tooth whitening isn’t permanent, as you may need touch ups once per year, but by taking certain precautions you can enjoy a white smile for a long time.

Reasons for Teeth Whitening

There are many cosmetic concerns associated with the teeth that may have you turning to whitening:

There is no “right” time to get your teeth whitened, as any time is a good time to improve the appearance of your smile. At Bay Lakes Center for Complex Dentistry, we offer other restorative treatments for your dental health as well. If you have a special event coming up like a wedding, class reunion, or job interview, whitening your teeth can help you to look your best. A whiter smile is also associated with increased self-esteem and confidence.

Zoom Whitening

At Bay Lakes Center for Complex Dentistry, we offer Zoom whitening in order to whiten your teeth in our office. Zoom is a popular bleaching process that is widely used across the U.S., and it utilizes a special chairside lamp to activate a whitening solution of 25% hydrogen peroxide. As the hydrogen peroxide within the solution is broken down, oxygen will enter the dentin and enamel to bleach the teeth. The end result is a tooth structure that is unchanged, but enamel that appears significantly whiter.

The complete procedure will take about an hour and a half in our office. It typically starts with a regular tooth cleaning before the actual whitening session. Your lips and gums will be covered so that only the teeth are exposed. Next, we will apply the Zoom whitening gel, and it will stay in place for 15 minutes while we activate the light. This process will happen three times, and immediately after you have finished, we will place a sensitivity-reducing fluoride solution onto your teeth in order to reduce the potential for discomfort.

At-Home Whitening

The at-home tooth whitening process will require two visits. During your first appointment, we will talk about what you are hoping to get out of the whitening process. We will examine the current shade of your teeth and can discuss how much of a change you are looking to achieve. Then, we will take impressions of your teeth, as this information will be used to customize a set of clear, plastic trays. This information and the shade specifications will be sent off to a dental lab so that your aligners can be fabricated.

Once your trays have been sent back from the lab, we will call you to set up your second appointment. During this session, we will have you try the trays on to ensure that they fit properly, and if adjustments are needed, we will make them in the office. We will then explain exactly how you should use the trays in order to whiten your teeth.

Typically, you will wear your trays either twice per day or overnight. They will be filled with a specialized whitening solution, and the amount of time that you need to wear them will depend on how white you want them to become, and the degree of staining found on your teeth. Be aware that it is normal to experience tooth sensitivity while whitening, but these effects should subside after your treatment has ended.

If you are interested in getting a brighter, whiter smile, give Bay Lakes Center for Complex Dentistry a call at (906) 212-4725 to set up an appointment. We can further discuss our two available treatment options and which will give you the best results.