Teeth Whitening

Gentle Smile Whitening Procedures

Brilliant Results

Many of the food and beverages we consume throughout the day contain some sort of staining agent that dims and dulls our smile. Tooth enamel is porous, allowing these pigments to soak in and cause discoloration. Besides that, aging tends to make our teeth more yellow. That’s because the enamel thins over the years of biting and chewing, allowing the yellow dentin layer beneath to show through.

The single most sought-after treatment at the Colonial Dental Clinic and most cosmetic dentist clinics throughout the country is teeth whitening. It can be done at the office, or at home.

Familiar staining agents

Many foods and beverages cause tooth stains.

• Coffee
• Red wine
• Cola drinks
• Tobacco
• Black tea
• Strongly pigmented foods such as blackberries or blueberries

The bleaching agent in most whitening gels is hydrogen peroxide. The FDA allows a greater strength of hydrogen peroxide solution for in-office whitening procedures because they are administered by highly trained professionals. The tooth whitening products you can buy in a store have a weaker strength and are less effective. Whitening toothpastes are a bad idea, as they contain abrasive ingredients which gradually wear away your tooth enamel and make your teeth yellower.

In-office treatment

Some people choose an in-office procedure because it is so fast. In a bit over an hour, we can make your teeth six or eight shades whiter, totally transforming your smile. All you need do is relax in the chair.

The first step is to apply a protective gel to your lips and gums. Then the bleaching gel is painted on to the teeth. A special light is directed at the gel which activates and speeds it. After about 20 minutes it stops working, and we will apply it again for another 20 minutes. After a third session, the procedure is finished and you have a new bright smile. We also give you a fluoride treatment afterwards, and a take-home kit for touch-ups later on.

At-home treatment

We will first make you two customized trays which will fit snugly around your upper and lower teeth. This will keep the whitening agent evenly up against your teeth, to create even results. The take-home teeth whitening kit will have several syringes of professional strength whitening gel, and you can choose whether you want Mild, Moderate, or Strong. That would depend on your tooth sensitivity.

The kits also contains a little instruction booklet, a shade strip for marking your Before and After colors, and a supply of desensitizing gel in case you do experience some increased sensitivity.

We would explain how to use the kit. You would wear the two trays for about 30 to 40 minutes each day. After that time, the bleaching agent stops working. You can wear them overnight if that’s more convenient. If you wear them daily for a week or two you will see a huge difference and ultimately can get results similar to those of an in-office treatment.

Please feel free to call or email our teeth whitening specialist if you would like to know more about teeth whitening. We can schedule a teeth whitening consultation for you where you can have all your questions answered and can meet our friendly team. We serve Glenview, Illinois and surrounding areas on the North Shore and we hope to meet with you soon.