Teeth Whitening

If you’re wanting to get your teeth professionally whitened, visit our Orem dentist office today. We have all the tools and experience to give you a professional and pleasant experience as you get your teeth whitened. Here are some more details about our teeth whitening process and exactly what it entails so you will be ready for your appointment and your teeth whitening procedures.

What is Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is for those that want a whiter and brighter smile. It’s a simple procedure that can be done in a dentist's office. It’s also very cost-effective, making it one of the best ways to ensure you are getting a beautiful white smile. Teeth whitening takes away the discoloration of your teeth including stains and yellowing to give you a more confident and beautiful smile. Our teeth whitening methods are simple, effective, and safe.

Who Needs Teeth Whitening?

Anyone can get their teeth whitened. If you are not happy with your smile or the way your teeth look, you can come into our office for professional teeth whitening.

The people that benefit the most from teeth whitening are usually those that meet one of the following conditions:

  • Those who smoke or have smoked in the past
  • People who drink a lot of coffee, soda, and wine
  • People who take certain medications that cause their teeth to weaken
  • People with fluorosis
  • Those who are getting older as the teeth become weaker with age
  • Those suffering from certain illnesses

What to Expect at an In-Office Teeth Whitening

If you are coming for in-office whitening at our Orem dentist's office, you might be wondering what to expect once you get here. Knowing what to expect ahead of time can help calm any anxiety or nerves you might have about coming to the dentist.

Here are the steps we take to make your teeth beautiful and white:

1. First, our dentist will take a tooth shade chart to see the current shade of your tooth. You can then show him on the tooth chart what you want your teeth to look like after the whitening process is finished.

2. Then we will use a special pumice tool to polish the tooth and remove any plaque you have on your tooth.

3. We will need to insert special tools into the mouth so that the whitening agent does not touch certain parts of the mouth like the tongue, the cheeks, and the gums. There will also be a barrier placed on the gum line.

4. We’ll begin applying the whitening agent. It usually stays on for about an hour, but the dentist will tell you exactly how long to expect it to stay on.

5. The dentist also uses light activation as part of the treatment as this allows the whitening agent to be sealed into the teeth.

6. Some of the whitening agents need to be applied several times with different coats. The dentist will let you know how many coats you need and how long the process will take.

7. Once the whitening is done, the dentist will rinse the mouth thoroughly. Sometimes he will also apply a fluoride treatment so that the teeth are not too sensitive after the whitening treatment.

8. The dentist will show you your teeth before you go. You can have a discussion on whether the results are what you wanted or if you feel like you want to get them a shade or two whiter.

Our dentist in Orem UT is always ready to hear your thoughts and discuss with you how to get the results you want.

What To Do After Your Teeth Whitening Treatment

There are certain things you want to make sure not to do after getting your teeth whitened as they can lessen how white your teeth will stay. For example, you should not eat any brightly colored foods for a few weeks. You also need to stay away from wine and coffee. Once you have taken all the proper precautions for a week or two, the dentist will ask you to come back into the office to see if the teeth are your preferred shade or not.

Keep in mind that it takes a week for the teeth to be the final shade. For the first few days after you get teeth whitening procedures, the teeth may appear darker because of dehydration. However, after a week the shade that the teeth are will be the shade they will remain.

Take Home Trays

If your teeth are not the shade you want them to be, the dentist can do more in-office visits. All teeth whitening patients will also use take-home trays as follow-up treatment. This allows your teeth to remain white. You will be instructed on how often to use the take-home trays.

The dentist will take impressions of your teeth so that the trays you get fit perfectly into the mouth. Usually, you receive a gel that is between 10% to 38% carbamide peroxide. This solution is much more effective at teeth whitening compared to the trays you might get over the counter that use hydrogen peroxide gels. Make sure to wear the trays as instructed so you can get the best results.

Things to Discuss with the Dentist

Before getting any teeth whitening done, the dentist will take a look at your mouth and determine if teeth whitening is the best choice for you. He will need to consider whether you have any teeth trauma, any exposure to tetracycline, or any past dental work that might inhibit the effectiveness of teeth whitening.

If you are interested in teeth whitening at our office, give us a call today at 385-233-9823. You can schedule a consultation with our dentist, and he can look at your teeth and oral history to determine the best course of action. Professional teeth whitening at Gentle Dental Arts in Orem is a great way to boost your confidence and get the smile you have always dreamt of.