5 Essential Facts About Professional Teeth Whitening
Sep 01, 2023
Even the most rigorous oral hygiene routines filled with regular brushing and flossing can still leave you with a smile that’s not as bright as you’d like it to be. This is because your teeth can become discolored for lots of different reasons. Factors like the foods you eat, the beverages you drink, and just getting older can all impact the color of your teeth.
So, if you’ve decided to take the plunge on the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedure — teeth whitening — our team led by Laura Llanos, DMD, at Llanos Dental Group in Miami Lakes, Florida, wants to give you the facts about professional teeth whitening.
You can’t really go wrong with getting your teeth professionally whitened. Getting your smile brightened in a dentist’s office setting ensures that your teeth are whitened safely and effectively.
Our team ensures that your cheeks, gums, tongue, and lips aren’t irritated by the strong chemicals, and we protect your teeth from becoming sensitive after the procedure is over. We also use stronger bleach than you can buy in at-home whitening kits, which means your teeth will be significantly whiter in a much quicker period of time.
If you’d prefer to still whiten your teeth at home, we offer customized professional at-home whitening kits. These are much stronger than ones you can purchase yourself from the store. They also include customized trays that can make sure the whitening product stays on your teeth for the duration of the treatment.
The take-home whitening kits do tend to be less expensive if our in-office treatments are a little out of your budget.
Before Dr. Llanos whitens your teeth, she performs a thorough dental exam to make sure your teeth are in good condition.
She then places a retractor in your mouth in order to keep your cheeks and lips away from the bleaching product. After isolating your teeth with gauze, Dr. Llanos applies the whitening solution. When the solution has been left on for an hour or your teeth have reached the optimum shade, the bleach is rinsed off and a protective layer of fluoride is applied.
Following our aftercare guidelines is extremely important in order to make the brightness of your smile last. This includes continuing to keep up a good oral hygiene routine. Use a mouthwash and brush and floss your teeth regularly. In addition, try to avoid drinking staining beverages such as coffee, tea, and red wine.
If Dr. Llanos discovers any chips or cracks in your teeth during your dental exam, you need to get restorative work done before you can get your teeth whitened. This is because the whitening solution can seep through any openings in your teeth and damage the nerves underneath.
In addition, teeth whitening only works on stains that are on the surface of your teeth. If your teeth are discolored underneath, whitening products simply won’t work. If this is the case, other cosmetic dentistry options are available to you such as dental veneers.
If you’re ready to brighten up your smile, don’t hesitate to book a teeth whitening appointment with our team. You can do this by giving us a call or using our online scheduler today.