How Do I Get One Hour In Office Teeth Whitening?
Although different in-office whitening systems can vary slightly from product to product, there are common practices that you will experience when you see your dentist for in-office whitening.
Usage
The dental clinician will need to establish your baseline tooth color. This gives your dental professional an idea of exactly how stained your teeth are. After a baseline is established, the dental clinician will cover your lips and gums so that the high concentration peroxide gel does not touch sensitive oral “soft” tissue. Next, a “barrier material” in the form of a liquid or “cream” is applied to the gums. This is done protect the gums from the high concentration peroxide. Finally, a whitening gel is applied to your teeth by the dental clinician. Some systems use a light source (such as a UV or LED whitening lamp) designed to accelerate the whitening process.
For “light-assisted” procedures, a light is turned on and is focused directly on the teeth. This light activates the gel and the whitening process begins. This is usually done in 3 to 4 sessions, with each session lasting anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. At the end of each session, the whitening gel is removed from the teeth and a fresh coat of gel is reapplied. The entire process of in-office teeth whitening usually takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours from start to finish. For in-office procedures that do not use a light or laser source, the steps are almost identical. During each 10 to 20 minute session the gel is on your teeth but no light source is being used on the teeth.
Cost and Results
One benefit of in-office bleaching is most patients can have one treatment and achieve optimal results. While this is generally the most expensive option for whitening teeth, the results are immediate. The procedure fees for in-office whitening vary by dentists and can range from $299-$750 dollars.
There is a reason that many celebrities use in-office bleaching—the results can be immediate and dramatic. By working with a dental professional you will be able to gauge exactly how white you want your teeth and create an individualized treatment plan. Some clinical studies have reported that in just one office visit, the average result is up to 8 shades lighter. These results can last anywhere from 6 months to as long as 1-2 years with the use of professional maintenance products.
Side Effects
There are very few side effects from in-office bleaching, and the few listed here resolve very quickly.
Tooth sensitivity to cold and hot foods, drinks or even air. If this occurs, simple over-the-counter pain medications help. There are also professionally dispensed options such as desensitizing gels, fluorides, toothpastes or rinses that can help. In most cases however, this sensitivity will resolve in 24-48 hours.
Soft tissue irritation can occur from either the chemical bleach sitting on the gums or from the light used to activate the whitener. Any white patches that appear on the gums from the chemical whitener will go away within hours. Any sores on the lip may take longer, but a lip balm will help.
Spotty coloring of the teeth may be noticed after whitening because some areas of the same tooth may lighten quicker than other areas. This is oftentimes difficult to predict, but the spotty color will begin to blend again quickly once the whitening procedures are discontinued and no other treatment is needed.