Frequently Asked Questions about Teeth Whitening

The whiteness of your smile leaves a positive first impression of health and cleanliness, but how can you effectively get a whiter smile and maintain it? Our North Canton cosmetic dental office helps patients to achieve brighter smiles by answering some of the most common questions about teeth whitening.

Do over the counter whitening products work? Drugstore whitening treatments are often hit-and-miss as they are not customized to your needs or administered by a professional over-the-counter teeth bleaching can also be messy, preventing whitening agents from staying localized to teeth, where it can serve the most benefit.

How much whiter will my smile be after teeth bleaching? Every patient is different and has discolored teeth for a variety of reasons, which will affect how whitening treatment brightens their teeth. On average, your smile will be three shades whiter after professional bleaching from a dentist.

How can I keep my smile white? Avoiding food and drinks with high pigment, such as red wine and coffee is a good start, but you can take other small steps -- such as brushing and flossing your teeth twice daily to remove stain-causing debris and using an at-home whitening touch-ups can also help keep your smile looking fresh.

Does teeth whitening cause sensitivity? All teeth bleaching treatments cause some sensitivity, but this effect can be minimized by speaking to your dentist and selecting the treatment method that includes the right combination of ingredients to minimize post-treatment sensitivity.

Is teeth whitening worth it? Many patients find teeth bleaching to be an easy and effective procedure that helps to dramatically improve the appearance of their smiles. Professional teeth whitening provides predictable results that store bought products cannot imitate.

Who is a good candidate for teeth whitening? Almost anyone can benefit from a bright new smile with our teeth bleaching services. However, it’s important to note that bleaching gel only lifts stains on organic dental enamel and will not whiten prosthetics, like crowns and bridges. Talk to our cosmetic dentist before your treatment to ensure that your smile, including all restorations, ends up as your desired shade when your procedure is complete.

Questions about Teeth Whitening

If you have questions about whitening your teeth that we did not answer here, please feel free to contact our office for your consultation.

Cosmetic Dentistry: Preparing for your Consultation

If you’re in the market for a more beautiful smile, scheduling a cosmetic dentistry consultation is the place where your goals are established and your dentist has a chance to recommend care that will work best for you.

Before heading into your cosmetic dental consultation, consider asking the following to help create a productive first meeting that answers questions and promotes treatment satisfaction:

What Materials Will be used in Treatment? Everyone’s treatment goals differ and there are different restorative materials your dentist can use to help you meet those. If you have teeth that are worn down from bruxism, a restoration with a strong metal base may be your best bet. For cosmetically restoring teeth in your smile zone, completely tooth-colored materials like all-porcelain or e.max® are excellent choices. Be sure to ask you dentist what materials they will use during treatment so that you are comfortable with the final result.

What are My Conservative Treatment Options? Patients with severely damaged teeth may need a comprehensive restoration like dental crowns, which involves preparing teeth by first removing damaged dental enamel. However, if much of your tooth structure is healthy, restoring function and appearance can be completed with procedures that keep more of your teeth in-tact, such as an onlay, inlay, or veneer. For some patients, brightening teeth and correcting tooth shape can be conservatively accomplished with teeth bleaching and placement of a few veneers. Be sure to ask your dentist about ways to combine treatments that allow you to keep as much of your natural teeth as possible.

Offers, Payments, Financing: Patients should note that, depending on providers and coverage limits, procedures deemed for purely cosmetic benefit may not be covered. If available, ask your cosmetic dentist about new patient offers, in-house payment plans, or special financing they can help you apply for to support your treatment plan.

Do your research!

Patient Reviews: Reading up on other patients’ reactions to service can help you decide if you like your chosen dentist’s commitment to care and chair-side manner. Check out trusted review sites, such as Google+ or Yelp to see what other patients or visitors have to say about the office you plan to visit. Make sure to note whether the dentists answered questions, helped patient make good choices about their treatment, and set up the right expectations.

View Before and After Transformation:  Making sure that you like your dentist’s treatment methodology and results is essential in feeling comfortable with care. Before you schedule your consultation, look through your cosmetic dentists’ before and after gallery to get an idea of the results you can expect with various procedures.

Our North Canton dental office takes to get to know you, understand your needs, and recommend treatments and materials for long-lasting, beautiful results. Contact our office today to schedule your consultation or view our Smile Gallery to see before and afters.