Do you want a whiter and brighter smile? Are store-bought whitening toothpaste, gels, and strips not working?
Try teeth whitening with Zoom!®, a safe and effective cosmetic dental treatment. Teeth whitening treatments not only improve the aesthetics of the smile but also help patients maintain healthy teeth and gums. When patients receive great results using Zoom!, they’re more motivated to maintain their new smiles.
You can keep your teeth bright when you brush, floss, avoid staining foods and beverages, and schedule regular dental cleanings. Our dental office can also create custom-made kits for at-home whitening or touch-ups. If you’re interested in professional teeth whitening treatment, contact Williamsburg Dental in Broomall, PA today.
Causes of Discolored Teeth
Several common causes of tooth discoloration include:
- Foods and Beverages: Certain foods and beverages, including wine, berries, tea, coffee, and tomatoes contain chromogens. Chromogens are strongly pigmented molecules that attach to the tooth enamel. Sometimes, simple brushing and flossing cannot remove these pigments from the teeth.
- Nicotine: Tobacco products that contain nicotine easily yellow the tooth enamel. Smoking cigarettes, vaping, and using other tobacco products can make the teeth look discolored.
- Dental Injuries: Chipped, cracked, or otherwise broken teeth can darken teeth. Breaks in the tooth enamel expose dentin, the dark underlayer. The best way to treat discoloration from dental injuries is porcelain veneers or dental bonding treatment. Dentin does not react to whitening treatments.
Contact our office, and we’ll help you find the best whitening treatment for your tooth stains. We work with our patients to customize whitening solutions to their smiles.
In-Office Teeth Whitening in Broomall, PA
With Zoom! teeth whitening, our patients can receive a brighter smile in just under one hour. To begin, we use a shade guide to determine the current color of your teeth and find your shade goal. Then, we place a guard to protect your lips, cheek, and tongue. This isolates the teeth.
We gently apply the whitening gel to the teeth. For 15 minutes, we place a special light near the mouth. This light activates the whitening ingredient in the gel. We repeat this process two to three times until we achieve the desired shade.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening in Broomall, PA
We provide whitening kits for patients who want the convenience of whitening their smile at home. These kits are a more economical alternative to in-office care. We need to take impressions of your teeth to create custom kits. Then we use these impressions to create lightweight whitening trays.
Once complete, we’ll provide you with your trays, whitening gel, and instructions. During treatment, you will apply the gel to the tray and wear them for 40 minutes per day for 8 to 10 days. Patients can also touch up their in-office treatment with whitening trays.
Professional Vs. Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening
Almost everyone wants to get a whiter smile. Many drugstore whitening solutions are available, and you can purchase them to whiten your smile yourself. However, they don’t work as well or carry the benefits of professional whitening at our office.
Beautiful Results
Professional whitening solutions are the only ones that provide the strongest bleaching agents. They’re only trusted with the discretion of a licensed dentist. Over-the-counter whitening agents aren’t as strong and may take longer to give you results. They also may not effectively treat more intense staining. Because the agents are stronger, results also last longer.
Quick Treatment
In-office whitening is much faster than what you can get at the drugstore. You can get a smile up to eight shades whiter in one visit to our dentist office. Over-the-counter solutions require multiple applications over time. Even then, it isn’t guaranteed that you’ll get results comparable to those with professional whitening.
Less Discomfort
Sensitivity is always a risk with teeth whitening products. Too much exposure to bleaching agents can cause tooth sensitivity when you eat or drink something too hot or cold. If the bleaching agent comes into contact with the soft tissue in your mouth, it can hurt your gums.
Professional products are less likely to cause these problems. They have built-in protections. There’s also less of a chance of them being misapplied because you’ll have a professional doing the application.
Custom Care
Store-bought products are one-size-fits-all. The solutions cannot be customized, leading to uneven results and a higher risk of sensitivity. Even with take-home professional solutions, they’re made to fit your smile. We make custom trays out of molds of your teeth.
A Great Investment
Professional whitening is a better investment. While over-the-counter products are cheaper up front, you have to buy them more frequently, and the cost adds up. While professional whitening costs more at first, the results last longer. You don’t have to get treatment as often, making it more cost-effective.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Professional teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure. Get more information from the answers to these commonly asked questions:
How long does in-office teeth whitening last?
Professional in-office teeth whitening can last between 6 months and 2 years. It will really depend on your dietary habits. Drinking and eating staining foods or beverages can discolor teeth faster. Your results might fade faster if you’re a coffee or red wine lover.
Good oral hygiene and avoiding staining foods can help prolong the results. Genetics and age can also play a role. Younger patients generally hold onto results longer.
Does whitening teeth hurt the enamel?
Most dentists consider teeth whitening procedures, including professional in-office treatments, safe for the tooth enamel. The process can cause temporary changes, such as increased enamel roughness. Tooth sensitivity can also be a side effect, but it should be temporary and not a sign of long-term damage.
Overusing teeth whitening products can potentially cause long-term damage. Consult our dentist before using these products. We’ll ensure you use them correctly and safely.
What are alternatives to teeth whitening?
Some stains are too deep for whitening treatments, but we can still help you get brighter teeth with restorative and cosmetic treatments.
One option is veneers. Veneers are thin shells made of porcelain or resin that cover the front of your teeth. They can change the color, shape, and size of your teeth and give you a whiter, more even smile. Bonding is a more affordable alternative to veneers that uses tooth-colored material to cover single stained teeth.
Another option is dental crowns. Crowns are caps that cover the entire tooth. We often recommend crowns for patients with worn, damaged, and discolored teeth.
How do you reduce teeth sensitivity after whitening?
It’s normal to experience some sensitivity for a couple of days after teeth whitening treatment. But you can do several things to reduce the discomfort. First, you can use toothpaste made for sensitive teeth.
You should also use a softer toothbrush and be gentle when you brush. Avoiding very hot or cold foods and drinks for a couple of days will also help. If you still feel uncomfortable, talk to our dentist for personalized advice.
How old do you have to be for teeth whitening?
Generally, pediatric dentists recommend that children wait until around the age of 16 for teeth whitening. Why? Well, by this age, most of the permanent teeth are fully erupted.
Whitening teeth at a younger age could lead to increased sensitivity. Waiting until around age 14 can make treatment more comfortable.
When can I eat normally after teeth whitening?
We recommend that you follow a strict diet for 48 hours to avoid certain foods and beverages that could stain your teeth. Spicy, acidic, crunchy, or hot or cold foods can provoke sensitivity. After these 48 hours, you can gradually return to your usual eating habits.
Can you use teeth whitening strips with Invisalign?
Yes, but we would recommend using strips after you remove your Invisalign aligners. Invisalign trays fit more snugly than teeth whitening trays. As a result, one of the risks is that the gel or solution may leak into the mouth instead of remaining on the teeth. You can remove your aligners and use the strips for the several hours that you aren’t wearing Invisalign.
Can Zoom teeth whitening treat yellow teeth?
Yes, Zoom can treat yellow teeth. Yellow stains are usually on the surface of your teeth and are often caused by things like coffee, tea, soda, smoking, or just getting older.
Zoom whitening uses a special gel and a bright light to break up those stains and make your teeth look whiter and brighter. This type of whitening works best on your teeth, not restorations like crowns or veneers.
Brighten Your Smile Today
Do you have dull, stained, or yellow teeth? Are you looking for a way to makeover your smile?
Call Williamsburg Dental for comprehensive whitening treatment at (610) 347-8302. Feel free to request a dental consultation with our dental team on our website. Let us know if you have any questions about your whitening treatment, and we’ll be glad to help.