Teeth whitening is perhaps a more expensive cosmetic dental procedure if you have to get it done at a dental clinic. But have you ever wondered why an in-office whitening procedure costs you more than your at-home whitening kits? Did you know that in-office teeth whitening can get you instant teeth whitening with an unmatched consistency that lasts for around a year? That’s why!
So how do dentists achieve in an hour what your at-home whitening kits can’t achieve in months? The secret lies in the professional procedure that is followed in an in-office teeth whitening session.
The process
Drying and cleaning
The whitening agent best works on a dry and clean surface. This is why your teeth will be first cleaned and polished with pumice. A gauze pad may also be placed in your mouth for the same reason. The dentist will wait until your teeth are completely dry. Since your mouth produces saliva, retractors, and barriers will be used to keep your teeth away from your tongue and cheeks.
Coating
Once your teeth are fully dry, the dentist will coat your teeth with the whitening solution. Note that only the front side of the teeth will be whitened because the backside barely shows. If you have an implant or a veneer, the dentist will coat them with the solution too. However, it would produce no results since implants and veneers cannot be whitened. After coating, your teeth will be left there for half an hour or more (depending on the desired shade) with the coat over them.
Final touches
Once the desired shade has been achieved, the dentist would rinse your mouth thoroughly to get rid of any residual solution inside your mouth. Following this, some dentists even prefer brushing your teeth with fluoride varnish. This is because fluoride helps in retaining the whiteness of the teeth, and prevents bacteria from forming anytime soon on your teeth. Fluoride also helps in keeping the teeth strong.
After the entire procedure, your teeth may start to experience increased sensitivity. However, it is quite normal. This happens because the pores in your teeth have been widened by the bleaching agent in the whitening solution to penetrate your teeth and fight the stains off from within. This is how teeth are actually whitened. Once the effect of the bleaching agent subsides, the pores will start to close in and the sensitivity will go away in no time.
What is left behind is a pearly white smile that you can cherish for a long time. You must get your teeth whitening done by an experienced dentist for the most consistent results. If you’re in Gilbert AZ, you can find the best teeth whitening dentist near you with just a single click!
