What should you ask Bridgeview Dental?
What is in-office whitening?
What are at-home procedures and products?
How should I choose a whitening product?

You may want to start whitening treatments by speaking with us. We can tell you whether whitening procedures would be effective for you. Whiteners may not correct all types of discoloration. For example, yellow-ish hued teeth will probably whiten well, brownish-colored teeth may whiten less well, and grayish-hued teeth may not whiten well at all. Grayish teeth are often caused from tetracycline staining in teeth is very difficult to whiten or remove. Likewise, whitening may not enhance your smile if you have had bonding or tooth-colored fillings placed in your front teeth. The whitener will not change the color of these materials, and they will stand out in your newly whitened smile. In these cases, you may want to investigate other options, like porcelain veneers or dental bonding.

No whitening products using lasers currently are on the ADA list of accepted products, therefore we currently do not recommend any as at home products are more popular choices due to cost and convenience.

If you are a candidate for whitening, we may suggest a procedure that can be done in his or her office. This procedure is called chairside whitening and may require more than one office visit. Each visit may take from 30 minutes to one hour.

During chairside whitening, we will apply either a protective gel to your gums or a rubber shield to protect the oral soft tissues. A whitening agent is then applied to the teeth.

A number of in-office whitening agents have the ADA Seal of Acceptance, your assurance that they have met ADA standards of safety and effectiveness.

Lasers have been used during tooth whitening procedures to enhance the action of the whitening agent.

There are several types of products available for use at home, which can either be dispensed by your dentist or purchased over-the-counter. Please stick to name brand products when selecting at home whitening kits.

Whitening solutions. These products contain peroxide(s), which actually whiten the tooth enamel. These products typically rely on percent carbamide peroxide as the whitening agent, carbamide peroxide comes in several different concentrations (10%, 16%, 22%).

Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in a gel and are placed in a mouthguard. Usage regimens vary. Some products are used for about twice a day for 2 weeks, and others are intended for overnight use for 1-2 weeks. If you obtain the whitening solution from us, we can make a custom-fitted mouthguard for you that will fit your teeth precisely. Currently, only dentist-dispensed home-use 10% carbamide peroxide tray-applied gels carry the ADA Seal.

You also may want to call us if any side effects become bothersome. For example, teeth can become sensitive during the period when you are using the whitening solution. In many cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should lessen once the treatment is finished. Some people also experience soft tissue irritation - either from a tray that doesn't fit properly or from solution that may come in contact with the tissues. If you have concerns about such side effects, you should discuss them with us.

Toothpastes. All toothpastes help remove surface stain through the action of mild abrasives. " Whitening" toothpastes in the ADA Seal of Acceptance program have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike whitenes, these ADA Accepted products do not alter the inside color of teeth.

When selecting a whitener or any dental product, be sure to look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance - your assurance that they have met ADA standards of safety and effectiveness.