Drugstore whitening trays only remove surface stains, while dental-grade whitening treatments penetrate the tooth to remove stains below the surface.
At your consultation, you’ll discuss with your Mission Viejo dentist what your goals and aesthetic problems are with the shade of your teeth so we can determine which treatment is most suitable for you.
After examining your teeth and discussing your goals, we can formulate a whitening treatment plan that will fit your budget, needs, and schedule.
To prepare for an at-home whitening treatment, we will need to take impressions of your teeth. To prepare for in-office treatments, we will place a cheek retractor in your mouth and a gel to protect your soft tissue from the whitening agent.
You will receive whitening trays for take-home whitening along with instructions. In-office whitening involves us applying the whitening gel to each tooth and activating it with UV light.
Nothing can replace a whitening treatment performed in the dental chair by the dentist. This will produce the most powerful and instant results, perfect for special occasions. The process begins by applying a protective gel to your gums so the whitening agent doesn’t come into contact with them.
A cheek retractor is also used to keep your mouth open and prevent the whitening gel from touching your cheeks. A peroxide-based whitening gel is then applied to every tooth and activated with UV light.
This process takes about one hour and can lighten your teeth by up to 10 shades. Severe discoloration may take multiple appointments to achieve the desired results.
Have sensitive teeth, are short on time, or would you rather just whiten your teeth from home? Our take-home whitening treatment can achieve the same results as in-office whitening over a week instead of a single one-hour appointment. After the initial appointment you will also want to do a touch up once a month to maintain the results.
You’ll need to come in for an appointment so we can take impressions of your teeth and that will fabricate your custom-made whitening trays. Once they’re ready, you’ll pick them up from the office in a few weeks, along with written instructions and the whitening product.
To whiten your teeth, you will apply the whitening gel to the trays, place the trays over your teeth for the specified amount of time, and repeat every day for one week.
GLO Science is revolutionizing the way you can whiten your teeth. GLO stands for Guided Light Optics, a technological advancement that accelerates the whitening process with a combination of light and heat. A special mouthpiece directs the heat and light towards the teeth, energizing the hydrogen peroxide formula, to provide quicker results, without increasing the risk for tooth sensitivity.
The best part of the GLO Whitening System is that you can get amazing results from the comfort of your own home! We make it easy to get the smile you deserve, without the sensitivity that comes with traditional trays or strips.
An in-office whitening treatment can contain 15-43% peroxide.
The right treatment for you is whichever treatment best fits your lifestyle and needs. Our in-office treatment is best for patients looking for a quick fix or who have a special event coming up which necessitates instant results. Our office is located in Mission Viejo, CA and we do family dentistry for your whole family.
Meanwhile, our take-home whitening treatment is less abrasive because the whitening agent contains a lower concentration of peroxide and does not involve UV light. This is a good option for patients with tooth sensitivity as well as patients who are very busy and would rather whiten their teeth from home.
Many different factors can affect the outcome of your whitening treatment. The first is the original shade of your teeth. The more severe your discoloration and staining are to begin with, the longer it may take to achieve your goal shade.
Oftentimes patients with severe discoloration benefit from multiple in-office whitening sessions. You should also ensure that your teeth are in the best condition when receiving your whitening. You should get a dental cleaning before having your teeth whitened because this will provide a clean blank canvas to apply the whitening agent.
This removes any lingering bacteria and plaque that could block the whitening gel from penetrating the enamel and the cleaning will also help lighten your teeth in and of itself. Another factor is following the dentist’s instructions in preparation for your whitening treatment.
You should avoid consuming foods that Dr. Naji tells you to avoid before and after getting your teeth whitened. This will include staining foods and drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, and dark-colored sauces, as well as abstaining from tobacco use.
Another factor is the type of discoloration you have. Yellowish hues respond the best to teeth whitening while brownish and grayish teeth are usually a result of staining from excessive fluoride exposure and staining antibiotics that contain tetracycline.
They can be, but it depends on the severity of your discoloration and the type of teeth whitening you are getting. Take-home whitening takes longer to begin with because of the method of whitening that is used.
Rather than being a rapid and instant one-visit process like in-office whitening, it is a gradual process of whitening the teeth through repeated use of your whitening trays each day for a week. This is because of the lower peroxide concentration.
However, at Smile Dental Boutique, we offer GLO whitening which produces the fastest at-home whitening results by combining light with heat to speed up the chemical reaction process. This way, you don’t have to choose between whitening your teeth fast or at home – you can do both!
While in-office whitening is a single hour-long appointment that can lighten your teeth up to 10 shades, you could still need more whitening sessions if your beginning shade is severely discolored. While a great improvement may be made, there will likely be more work to be done. We can give you an accurate timeline of the length of your whitening treatment during your consultation.
Teeth whitening will not harm your teeth as long as you get your teeth whitened by a reputable and experienced certified dentist. We recommend that you avoid using over-the-counter whitening products which are largely unregulated and can cause damage to your teeth and gums.
Never use whitening products that are not ADA-approved. When you get your teeth whitened through Smile Dental Boutique, we will always take every precaution to protect your teeth and soft tissues before beginning your treatment. We also carefully examine the beginning condition of your teeth to ensure that they are healthy enough for whitening treatment.
Take-home whitening takes longer because the concentration of peroxide is much lower than in-office whitening gels.