HOME  SMILE WHITENING

Home teeth whitening (Tray Bleaching) involves the use of custom made trays and prescription strength whitening gels by you at home.  Impressions are taken of your upper and lower teeth. Clear thin trays (similar to mouth guards) are custom designed by our professionals.  You will easily place a clear peroxide whitening gel into the trays and wear them for approximately one hour every day for three weeks.  This can be repeated until the desired effect is realized.

We offer different strength gels. Our goal will be to use the strength that achieves the greatest effect with the least chance for sensitivity.

Determination of the longevity of the lightening results is difficult since everyone has different habits.  Smoking, coffee, and red wine are all things that will stain the smile more quickly.

We suggest that when you begin to see a slight darkening, use your trays and gels for a booster session over 1 to 3 days duration.  Tubes of gels can be easily obtained at our office.

Please realize that the whitening gels will not change the color of crowns or fillings.  This will be considered at the consultation appointment.

If you are interested in whitening your smile, please call and schedule a consultation appointment for the home whitening service. 

How does Crest Whitestrips compare to Professional Teeth Whitening Procedures?

Crest Whitestrips are a common over the counter method of whitening a smile but these do have limitations compared to the professional teeth whitening services at White Orchid Dental.

*The Crest Whitestips do not cover all the teeth in the average smile.  This means that often people will recognize the difference in color between your bleached teeth and non-bleached teeth every time you smile.  Professional teeth bleaching allows you to bleach all your teeth, even your molars.

*The peroxide in Whitestrips are of lower concentration than the smile whitening gels provided by professionals. The professionals will help to find the concentration of teeth whitening gel that will provide you with the optimum whitening effect and minimal sensitivity.

*Also, because trays are not customized for you, the one size fits all Whitestrips tend to spread gels over the delicate tissues rather than concentrating the gels as much as possible on the teeth you wish to bleach.

Teeth Whitening  Instructions

*    Follow the instructions provided by the experts at White Orchid Dental.

*   Make sure you brush and floss thoroughly prior to each treatment. The bleaching gel can work better if it is in contact with the tooth rather than plaque buildup.  

*    Place approximately 1/3 of a tube of whitening gel into each custom bleaching tray.

*    Gently wipe away any excess gel that squeezes out of the trays when placed in the mouth.

*    Wear your whitening tray daily for at least 1 to 1.5 hours.

*    Total treatment time is usually 3 - 4 weeks. Some cases may take longer, especially if treatment is interrupted.

*    Mild sensitivity to cold liquids or air may occur. This usually passes a few days after treatment is completed. If the sensitivity is severe or persists, discontinue using the gel and contact our office.

*    If you experience any gum irritation, let us know. Your custom tray may need to be adjusted or a different concentration of gel may be more appropriate.

*    Whitening works best on yellow stained teeth. Gray teeth are more difficult to whiten, or may not respond to treatment. Such cases may require porcelain veneers to achieve the desired result.

*     Results can be quite dramatic. However upon completion of the whitening process, the color will “tone down” somewhat. This is normal and actually looks more natural.

*    Long term results vary from patient to patient. This can depend on many factors including habits such as smoking or coffee, tea, wine, or cola consumption.

*    “Touch-up” treatments may be needed every 3 – 6 months. This can usually be accomplished in 1 or 2 treatments of 1 – 2 hours each. Extra Tubes of whitening gels can be purchased anytime at our office.

*     Existing fillings, crowns, bonding, etc. will not whiten. Therefore, these restorations may need to be changed in order to match your new smile.

*    It is important to keep your follow-up appointments so we can assess the results or make changes in treatment as needed.

If you have old silver fillings, ask us about changing them to natural blended white fillings. Old crowns with dark gum-lines can be changed to more natural looking porcelain crowns.

The professionals at White Orchid Dental welcome your questions. Please call 219-836-9122 to schedule your consultation with the smile care experts. Email: jeffmilne@sbcglobal.net with any questions or concerns along with your contact information and we will promptly respond.  We offer the opportunity to save time by printing the patient information forms online Patient Forms at White Orchid Dental  Please mail or fax these completed forms to us before your visit.