subject: Answers To Your Questions And Concerns About Professional Teeth Whitening [print this page] Teeth whitening is a treatment offered by many cosmetic dentists. The purpose in the treatment is to give you a whiter smile. Below are answers to some of the most common questions about professional teeth whitening.
Q. How long does it take?
A. The length of time it will take to give you a complete treatment, with the results you want, may vary. It will depend on why your teeth are yellowed or stained, how long they have been stained, and how tough the stains are. Usually an appointment can last anywhere from a half hour to an hour. You may need more than one appointment to get the full effect of stain removal and whiter teeth.
Q. Is teeth whitening safe?
A. Teeth whitening, performed in a cosmetic dentists office, is considered a safe procedure. The most common complaints people have after this type of cosmetic dental work is sensitivity to hot and cold liquids or foods, and slightly sore gums. There are no known long term side-effects from having teeth whitening done in a dental office. Home whitening kits, on the other hand, are not considered as safe a procedure.
Q. Who is a good candidate for teeth whitening?
A. Anyone who has good oral health, and is not happy with the color of their teeth, may be a good candidate. There are some cases where whitening may not work as well. If you have had bonding done, or fillings that are tooth-colored, on your front teeth, those teeth will not show a difference from whitening because the materials used cannot be bleached.
Q. What other procedures might I want to look into if I have had bonding or fillings that won't take the teeth whitening?
A. Some of the other cosmetic dental work options you have, which are especially good if you have had bonding or tooth-colored fillings, include porcelain veneers and dental bonding.
Q. Is professional teeth whitening painful?
A. There should be no real pain associated with a cosmetic teeth whitening procedure done by a cosmetic dentist. There may be some sensitivity to the chemical agents used to perform the whitening. The dentist will use a dental dam to protect your sensitive gum tissue from the chemicals used. If you experience any type of pain, alert your dentist immediately.
