What to Expect During a Teeth Whitening Session

You don’t have to be a supermodel to have a beautiful smile, but a dazzlingly white grin can make you look gorgeous. Let’s face it: When your teeth are yellowed and stained, you don’t feel worthy of the red carpet. 

The good news is that Dixwell Dental has everything you need to get camera-ready for your close-up. Whether you want to post a picture on your own social media or go out in public and show off your smile, we have the stuff to take your grin to the next level.

People who smile a lot tend to be seen as confident and attractive. If you’re hiding your grin because you’re ashamed of your teeth, please know that you don’t have to anymore. At Dixwell Dental, we want you to be confident, and our professional whitening services can get you there.

Depending on the reason for your stained teeth, you might even notice results after the first treatment! Our whitening products get into the enamel’s inner layers, where the stains set and discolor. Gradually, the whitening agent bleaches the yellowed layer, brightening it to a whiter finish.

Genetics are a common reason for yellowed or stained teeth, but your habits are more likely the culprit. Over time, activities such as tobacco use, drinking dark liquids, or taking tetra-medications will cause your teeth to discolor.

When you schedule your appointment at Dixwell Dental, we’ll figure out the why behind your yellowed teeth. From there, we’ll work with you to make a plan to bring your smile back to its natural white state.

Teeth whitening services are nothing to be nervous about. In fact, they’re so simple, you can relax and enjoy the peace of your session! This guide will tell you all you need to know to prepare.

Scheduling Your Whitening Service

There are lots of over-the-counter whitening products you can buy, but working with your dentist is the best way to lighten your teeth. 

When you use a whitener, you are putting chemicals in your mouth, no matter what product you choose. There’s a reason we’re told not to do this at a young age. It can be dangerous, even if the product is approved by the American Dental Association. Dentists are trained specialists who know what they’re doing and use professional-grade, safe, effective products.

A whitening product uses an active ingredient like hydrogen peroxide. This ingredient works as a bleaching agent. Hydrogen peroxide in certain doses is safe. But it can also aggravate any underlying conditions in your mouth that you might or might not be aware of.

For your safety, your dentist will have you come in for a checkup before you schedule your whitening treatment. During this regular exam, he or she will look for things that a bleaching agent could irritate. Common oral health problems that need to be fixed before your whitening visit include:

• Cavities
• Cracked teeth
• Chipped teeth
• Beginning or advanced stages of gum disease

None of these problems will go away without treatment, and you might not even know they exist yet! Once we take care of them, though, the next step is getting you the whiter teeth of your dreams.

What to Know About Your Whitening Appointment

If you’ve been waiting a long time for whiter teeth, the day of your appointment is an exciting one! 

There isn’t too much to do to prepare. Make sure you eat at least half an hour before your appointment so you’re not hungry while you’re here. The time is important, though, since eating softens your teeth’s enamel. Thirty minutes is plenty of time for it to harden up again so we can do your whitening treatment.

The procedure usually takes around an hour. When you get here, we’ll take you in the back to a treatment chair. Once you’re there, you’ll have your teeth cleaned by our hygienist. You might have had one with your checkup, but it’s important to do a full cleaning again. This gets rid of anything that might be on your teeth and get in the way of the whitener.

We’ll also go over the basic whitening process with you, but here’s a breakdown of how all whitening products work.

Using a Teeth Whitener

All whitening products include the bleaching agent and a method of applying it to your teeth. The bleach goes directly onto your enamel, which is why it can be dangerous.

Your enamel is made of multiple layers. One of these layers is the dentin, a porous section of your tooth that determines the color. 

The bleach is applied by a tray, strip, paste, or other applicators. Once it gets on your tooth, it spreads to the dentin and causes the pores to expand. When they’re enlarged, the bleaching agent enters the dentin and brightens the color.

But if the bleach stays on for too long or is used too frequently, it can cause short- or long-term damage. Your gums and teeth may become extra sensitive or the enamel itself can be damaged.

For that reason, a professional whitening service is the recommended way to get a brighter, healthier smile.

Dixwell Dental’s Whitening Treatment

Your safety is our number one concern, and our dental whitening techniques show this. Before we get started, the first thing we’ll do is use a retractor to keep your sensitive lip and cheek area from touching the whitening gel.

After the retractor is in place, next, we’ll layer a protective gel across your gums. The whitening agent usually seeps along the gumline naturally, so this gel keeps that area from being irritated by the product.

The whitener we use is professional-grade, meaning it’s made from the highest quality, safest ingredients possible. But we still don’t want it on your teeth longer than necessary, so we combine it with a specialized light.

This light enhances the way the bleaching agent interacts with your dentin. It speeds up the time it takes the pores to open up and absorbs it into them quicker, so you’ll have faster, stronger results. You might even walk out of the office after the first treatment with a whiter smile than you thought possible!

Taking Care of Your Pearly Whites

Now that your teeth are the shade you want them, it’s important to take care of them to keep them white. Follow your dentist’s instructions about your diet the first 48 hours after your treatment. Practice good oral hygiene habits, and follow up regularly for cleanings.

Your red-carpet smile is waiting for you at Dixwell Dental. Contact us today to get scheduled!

DENTISTS PROUDLY
SERVING HAMDEN