Teeth Whitening Options

There are many ways to whiten your teeth, including whitening toothpastes, over-the-counter gels, rinses, strips, and trays. While these options can help with minor surface stains, professional teeth whitening offers faster, more noticeable, and more predictable results.

For patients looking to brighten their smile safely, ZOOM! teeth whitening is one of the most effective cosmetic dentistry treatments available. Professional whitening can help reduce discoloration caused by coffee, tea, wine, tobacco, aging, and everyday foods. Some ZOOM! whitening treatments are completed in office, while others can be done at home with professional guidance. Make an appointment at our Richmond, VA office to find out which ZOOM! teeth whitening option is best for your smile.

 

ZOOM teeth whitening solutions, girl smiling

Tray-Based Teeth Whitening

Tray-based tooth whitening from ZOOM! uses custom-made trays created at your dental office for a comfortable, secure fit. These trays are filled with a professional whitening solution that typically contains a peroxide bleaching agent to help lift stains from the teeth.

Depending on the strength of the whitening material and your desired results, you may wear the trays for 15 minutes, overnight, or for a set period each day. Treatment can last from a few days to two weeks based on the level of discoloration and whitening goals. This cosmetic dentistry option can be completed at home and offers a convenient way to achieve a brighter smile with professional-quality results.

In Office Whitening

Professional ZOOM! whitening offers the fastest way to whiten teeth and is a very popular cosmetic dentistry procedure. ZOOM! in-office whitening can be either applied as a varnish to the teeth or by activating a whitening gel with a LED light. It requires at least one visit to the dental office to have the procedure performed. Multiple visits may be required to reach the desired results. Each visit usually lasts one to two hours. During the procedure, the whitening agent is applied directly to the teeth in a series of applications. Dramatic results are often seen right away!
Teeth Whitening Dentist Richmond VA

At Home Whitening vs. In-Office Teeth Whitening

While the many teeth whitening products available at your local pharmacy offer a certain degree of convenience, they are not likely to offer you the results that you are hoping to achieve. In order to see whiter teeth quickly, it may be necessary to see your dentist and discuss your options. There are big differences in the products that you can buy at the store and teeth whitening by dentists, including:

  • Strength of bleaching agent:
    • Over the counter and dentist supervised at home products usually contain a lower strength bleaching agent. Usually, these products will have only 10 percent to 25 percent carbamide peroxide, which is the whitening agent, compared to 15 percent to 43 percent carbamide peroxide in whitening products professionally applied at the dental office.
  • Ill-fitting mouthpiece trays:
    • Dentist supervised at home whitening trays are fabricated using an impression of your mouth. Each tray is custom made to fit your mouth exactly. This customization allows the whitening gel maximum contact with your teeth. However, over the counter tray whiteners use a “one size fits all” approach. The trays are not designed to fit your mouth exactly. Too large or too small of a tray can cause gum and soft tissue irritation and the whitening gels may not whiten teeth evenly.
  • Additional Protective Measures:
    • Some whitening products can be irritating to the gums and soft tissues. At home teeth whitening treatments do not take measures to protect these tissues from irritation. When you chose professional whitening, we will apply protective gels to the gums and soft tissues or use a special shield to protect your mouth from the effects of bleaching.
  • Best Treatment Plan:
    • Over the counter whitening treatments are not designed to work for your specific needs. In a dental office, your dentist will perform a complete oral exam to determine if whitening is the best course of action for your cosmetic dentistry goals and which type of whitening treatment will best fix the discoloration of your teeth.

It is important to understand that fillings or crowns that show when you smile will not lighten with teeth whitening treatment. Only the tooth surfaces will improve in color. Your dentist in can let you know if any fillings, crowns, or other previous dental treatment may need to be changed to match your new shade following your cosmetic dentistry whitening treatment. If you are ready for a brighter smile in Richmond, VA today, schedule a consultation by contacting Steadman Family Dentistry.