Whitening is a procedure that is designed to lighten the color of your teeth. When performed by a licensed professional and done properly, whitening should not harm your teeth or gums. Significant lightening can be achieved in the majority of cases, however particular RESULTS CANNOT BE GUARANTEED. Whitening, like any other procedure, has some inherent risks and limitations. Although these risks are seldom serious enough to discourage one from having his or her teeth whitened, they should be taken into consideration when deciding whether or not to have the procedure performed.

There are many variables that can affect the outcome of the procedure, such as the type of discoloration that affects your teeth, the degree to which you follow our instructions, and the overall condition of your teeth.

Who are the best candidates for whitening?

Almost anyone is a candidate for whitening. Experience shows that people with dark yellow or yellowish brown teeth sometimes achieve better whitening results than those with gray or bluish-gray teeth. Multi-colored teeth, especially if stained due to tetracycline, do not whiten as well. In addition, teeth with many fillings, cavities, chips, etc., are usually best treated through bonding, porcelain veneers, or porcelain crowns.

What types of whitening are available?

In-Office whitening:

This process can be done in one visit, but may require two or more visits depending on how your teeth respond to the treatment. Each appointment should take between one and one & one-half hours. Due to the strong whitening gel used in this procedure, either a resin or a rubber shield must protect your gums. Once the gums are protected, the gel is applied to the tooth surface. In many cases, a special high intensity light will be used to further activate the gel. In-office whitening can also be done to lighten a tooth that has had a root canal. In this case, the tooth is whitened both from the inside and the outside.

The advantage of in-office whitening is that we do the work for you and you spend less overall time whitening your teeth. The disadvantages include some of the normal inconveniences associated with any dental treatment, such as having to keep your mouth open for the duration of the procedure and the possibility of increased costs as compared to take-home whitening.

Dr. Simons uses the Zoom! technique for in-office whitening. The Zoom! In-Office Whitening System can make your teeth dramatically whiter in a little over an hour. The procedure is simple. It begins with a short preparation to cover your lips and gums, leaving only your teeth exposed. The Zoom! clinician then applies the proprietary Zoom! Whitening Gel, which is activated by a specially designed light. Teeth typically become an average of eight shades lighter, sometimes more. A five minute fluoride treatment completes the procedure. You'll be amazed with the results.

The Zoom! light and gel work together to gently penetrate your teeth, breaking up stains and discoloration. With proper care and an occasional touch-up at home with Zoom! TakeHome Gel, your smile will sparkle for years.

Take-Home Whitening:

This process can be done anywhere not just at home. It involves wearing a custom-made whitening tray that looks like a thin, transparent night guard. You fill the tray with a mild whitening gel. You then need to wear the gel filled tray for the specified period of time each day (per our instructions. This procedure must be continued over a period of time that generally extends from one to two weeks. We will check your whitening progress as necessary during the period you are using the whitening gel.

The advantages of take-home whitening include convenience and possibly less cost. The disadvantages include the inconvenience of wearing the whitening tray and that your results will depend on your consistent use of the tray.

Dr. Simons uses an innovative new p rod uct called trèswhite that makes whitening your teeth very easy. trèswhite uses innovative pre-loaded whitening trays that are simply inserted onto the teeth for a custom fit. The thin membrane tray adheres to the teeth and remains securely in place for the 30 minute wear time. Yes, only 30 minutes, once a day. It's that easy.

trèswhite is the most powerful whitening take-home product available. Because it contains such a high concentration of peroxide, results are achieved rapidly. Some people see results in as little as one day. trèswhite is also safe. The trèswhite trays are pre-loaded with two specific gels. A whitening gel is loaded along the bottom of the tray for whitening the teeth and a barrier gel is loaded along the gumline for protecting the gums. This barrier gel helps keep the whitening gel on the teeth.

trèswhite mint and melon flavors make whitening your teeth almost as enjoyable as the results you'll achieve.

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A note of assurance

Tooth whitening is a well established procedure in cosmetic dentistry and has been used safely for years.

The whitening process is effective on most discolored teeth. Darker stains, such as those caused by antibiotics, are more difficult to whiten. THe degree of whiteness will vary from patient to patient depending on the structure of the teeth.

If you have any question, please ask.