Did you know, we can whiten your teeth as much as 8 shades in just one visit.
Our priority at Smile Dental Clinic is to help you achieve a healthy smile. Good oral health starts with proper home care and diligent dental visits. With healthy smiles comes beautiful whiter smiles and we can definitely help there too!
At SDC we screen all our patients to make sure you are a good candidate for successful whitening. That means making sure there are no cavities present that may affect your sensitivity during whitening. The whitening gel may seep into these cavities and cause undue pain therefore we recommend having them restored before whitening. We also check for stain and tartar build-up which will create a barrier for the whitening gel.
Other factors to consider before you whiten are fillings or crowns in your front teeth which will not change color under the whitening gel. Any porcelain or resin filling material you have in your front teeth now will remain the same shade while any surrounding natural tooth structure will lighten in color thereby making the resin or porcelain stand out from the rest of your newly whitened smile. You will need to consider whether or not you are prepared to replace these restorations after the tooth whitening.
Many patients actually do want to change their crowns in their front teeth and wish for a whiter smile so we purposely whiten first to achieve the whiteness the patient wants, and then order the new crown to match the new color achieved after the whitening. This also applies to fillings where the doctor will need to match the shade of resin to the newly whitened teeth.
Another factor to consider is old orthodontic cement that may have not been completely removed at the time your braces were removed. Even though this cement does not in any way interfere with a healthy smile, it does interfere with the whitening gel by creating a barrier so the tooth surface does not become affected by the gel. So if you are considering whitening after you get your braces off, be sure to see our Dental Hygienist who can assess and confirm your teeth are completely free and clear of any remaining cement.
A bright, healthy smile is achievable and can give you a great deal of confidence. If you have been hiding behind your smile thinking there is not much you can do but live with what you have, think again! Sometimes the solution can be as simple as just getting your teeth cleaned. Or perhaps your teeth need a little more attention and may need some further restorative work. You need to start somewhere, and step one is to book an appointment for a thorough exam and x-rays so we can break down what needs to be done to help you smile big and full of confidence!
GET THE BRIGHTER, HEALTHIER SMILE YOU’VE BEEN WANTING:
If you are interested in bleaching, we may suggest a procedure that can be done in our office. This procedure is called chair-side bleaching and can be done within one hour. We are the exclusive provider of Philips Zoom Whitespeed which is the #1 patient-requested professional whitening treatment.
During Zoom Whitening, we will shield your gums, lips and cheeks to protect the oral soft tissues. A bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth, and a special light is used to enhance the action of the agent.
You can also have your whitening done at home. For this “at home” procedure we fabricate custom made whitening trays for your teeth, we provide you with a special gel and show you how to use it. You have the option of wearing your trays either 1 hour during the day or overnight while you sleep depending on the type of gel you choose.
WHY PHILIPS ZOOM?
Philips Zoom is not only proven to whiten teeth up to eight shades, it’s also safe. While other whitening products can harm teeth and gums, using Philips Zoom with Relief ACP actually gives you greater luster and protects enamel.
LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT WHITENING
With so many different whitening products on the market, it’s easy to get confused. So here are the facts you need to know before you commit.
IS TEETH WHITENING SAFE
Yes. Clinical studies have shown that whitening your teeth with carbamide or hydrogen peroxide under the supervision of a dental professional is safe for teeth and gums.
WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS
The most common side effect is tooth and gum sensitivity. Your dentist is your best resource to ensure that you are a good candidate for whitening and that you are using the right concentration of whitening formula. Philips Zoom at-home whitening products have two mild desensitizing agents, potassium nitrate and Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (ACP), to minimize tooth sensitivity.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OTC WHITENING SOLUTIONS AND PHILIPS ZOOM?
Over-the-counter whitening products are not customized to your needs. With Philips Zoom, the whitening process is tailored to your needs by your dentist, with custom-fitted trays for at-home treatments or just the right light intensity and duration in the dentist’s office.
HOW LONG WILL MY ZOOM WHITENING RESULTS LAST?
Whitening treatments help to reduce existing stains, but through consumption of coffee, soft drinks or just through natural aging, your teeth may eventually become discolored again. Maintenance whitening can help combat recurring discoloration. Only Philips Zoom at-home whitening products include ACP, which has been shown to help reduce whitening fade-back.
WHAT CAUSES TEETH TO DISCOLOR?
There are many causes to tooth discoloration. Some of the most common include the consumption highly colored foods and drinks (berries, coffee, tea, red wine). Some medications, aging, smoking and trauma can also cause teeth discoloration.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?
With Philips Zoom, your teeth will be visibly whiter in one day. With Zoom in-office, you will achieve up to eight shades whiter in 45 minutes. With Zoom at-home, when used as instructed, you will achieve the same great results in one to two weeks, depending on concentration of formulation and wear time you select.
HOW DOES TOOTH WHITENING WORK?
Before we get into the details of tooth-whitening, let’s take a minute to meet the enemy. What are tooth stains anyway?
Each of your teeth is made up of an inner dentin layer and a hard outer enamel layer, which protects the teeth. When you put stuff in your mouth — food, cigarette smoke, coffee, etc. — another layer gradually forms on top of the enamel layer. Basically, the foreign material accumulates to form a pellicle film over the enamel layer.
A dentist can clean away this film, through scraping and chemical treatments. Even brushing your teeth can knock out some of it — brushing with the abrasive toothpaste cleans the tooth in the same sort of way scrubbing with an abrasive pad cleans a dish. “Whitening toothpastes” are designed to work even harder on this layer.
The problem is, as this pellicle layer sits on your teeth for years and years, the foreign material gets into the enamel. The enamel layer is made up of hydroxyapatite crystals, which form microscopic hexagonal “rods.” Simply put, enamel is porous, which means staining agents can work their way down into the tooth, where you can’t simply scour them away. The deeper stains are basically harmless, but many people find them unattractive.
This is where true tooth whiteners come in. Basically, the whiteners use bleaching chemicals to get down into the tooth enamel and set off a chemical reaction (specifically, an oxidation reaction) that breaks apart the staining compounds.
Most tooth whiteners use one of two chemical agents: carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide (the same stuff that will bleach your hair). When used in the mouth, carbamide peroxide breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and urea, with hydrogen peroxide being the active whitening ingredient.
