Teeth Whitening
Although multiple options are currently available for teeth whitening, from over-the-counter kits at your local drugstore to teeth bleaching kiosks at the mall, you will only get the best results with professional teeth whitening.
At our office, we take the time to customize your whitening treatment to fit your teeth and your goals. Our skilled hygienists and assistants will take impressions of your teeth to custom fabricate an individualized whitening tray for both your upper and your lower teeth. No drugstore kit or bleaching kiosk offers this kind of personalization and results.
Is Professional Teeth Whitening Right for Me?
If your teeth and gums are healthy but your smile is no longer looking its best, professional teeth whitening might be the boost you need to give your smile back its sparkle. Teeth can lose their luster and develop a yellowish shade for a variety of reasons. Some common culprits are smoking and consuming beverages that stain such as coffee, tea, cola, red wine, and fruit juice. Certain medications can also affect the color of your teeth, and genetics and aging play a distinct role as well.
Because the product used in professional teeth whitening has an added desensitizing agent, even people with sensitive teeth can achieve brighter, whiter, more beautiful teeth. When you call our Keene, NH dental office to find out about teeth whitening, we will schedule you for an examination with Dr. Drower. He will check the condition of your teeth and gums and talk to you about the possible causes of your staining as well as the results you would like to see with your whitening treatment. If whitening is not right for you, Dr. Drower will discuss other treatment options to help you improve the health and beauty of your smile.
The Advantages of Professional Teeth Whitening
While professional teeth whitening costs more than over-the-counter kits and other bleaching options, most patients find that the personalized care and treatment of professional whitening provides more effective and more efficient results. The concentration of the whitening ingredient in professional products is much higher than that found in drugstore kits, which means you can get your results much faster. The customized tray helps you get more even results and reduces the risk of getting whitening gel on sensitive soft tissues such as your lips and gums.
After you complete your whitening treatment, you will be asked to return to our office. This gives us the opportunity to check your results and discuss your maintenance options. Once you have completed a full whitening treatment, maintenance is typically quick and easy and is only required periodically.
To help your results last longer, you may wish to consider making some lifestyle changes. For instance, if you smoke, now would be a great time to think about quitting. We can discuss ways to quit and provide support during this important time. Additionally, reducing your consumption of beverages known to be staining may help your teeth stay whiter for longer.
Call us today to schedule your examination with Keene dentist Dr. Sean Drower and find out if professional teeth whitening is right for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Deciding which type of teeth whitening will work best for you is based on what you want. Many advantages to both in-office and take home teeth whitening exist. Dr. Sean Drower can help you decide what will work best for you based on your specific needs.
In-office teeth whitening works really well for people when they want instant results. In-office teeth whitening improves the way you look in as little as one hour. Because the whitening process is repeated several times, you will see dramatic results in one day. In-office whitening often costs more than take home whitening because of the time and necessary equipment we use to whiten your teeth, but for patients who just want to get the job done, it is a great alternative.
Take home professional dental whitening is still a great alternative and you can achieve the same amazing results over time, in the comfort of your own home. We will make custom whitening trays for you and you get to decide when it works best for you to whiten your teeth. Most systems work at night or during the day, depending on your preference. Take home teeth whitening systems work best for patients who want to whiten on their own time or who want a less expensive alternative.
Our patients are often confused by all of the claims they see in advertising about teeth whitening products. Each one claims to be the best solution for yellow or stained teeth. While you may see some success with over the counter products, results vary greatly from patient to patient and sometimes do not work at all.
Rinses, toothpastes, strips, gels, and trays each claim to be the solution for whiter teeth. Without the expertise of your dentist and the guidance of a dental professional, you may not achieve the results you want and you may end up with results you do not want.
Sometimes whitening products can provide unattractive results by whitening your smile in an uneven way or having a blotchy result. If you have experienced such side effects from over the counter whitening products, we encourage you to call Dr. Sean Drower. He can offer solutions to restore your smile and provide the attractive results you are looking for.
Even though some people have experienced positive results from over the counter teeth whitening products, the most effective method for teeth whitening is still professional systems available at your dental office. With the guidance of Dr. Sean Drower, you could see improvements to the color of your smile in one day.
While dental whitening is considered safe and has very few side effects, some people do experience the most common side effects:
Tooth Sensitivity
Because teeth whitening uses a hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide gel to permeate to the lower layer of your teeth called the dentin, some people experience tooth sensitivity. Typically, this occurs when your whitening trays have been left in too long or you have whitened your teeth too many days in a row.
It can be resolved by making sure you only leave your trays in for the recommended period of time. It can also be addressed by making sure you take a day or two off in between whitening sessions.
If you still experience sensitivity, but you would like whiter teeth, call Dr. Sean Drower’s office and he may be able to recommend a product to help keep sensitivity under control.
Soft Tissue Irritation
Occasionally, your gums or tongue may become irritated from the whitening gel. This happens when too much gel is placed inside your custom whitening tray and it oozes out onto your gums, tongue, and down your throat. This can cause irritation, but is easily remedied by using a smaller amount of gel and not overfilling your trays.
Whether you whiten your teeth or not is completely up to you. How do you feel about your smile? Are you proud of the way you look? If you have negative feelings about your smile, it may show through your behavior.
Often when people are self-conscious about the way their teeth look, they avoid smiling, laughing, or talking freely. Teeth whitening is an inexpensive way to boost your self-esteem and confidence when you are in social situations. Not worrying about the color of your teeth can make interacting with others more natural and easier.
People sometimes decide to whiten their teeth when they quit using tobacco. Teeth whitening is a nice reward for those who have kicked the habit because it removes all those old yellow stains that act as reminders of their old unhealthy habit. A teeth whitening gift certificate is a nice gesture to recognize someone who has quit tobacco for good. Plus, having white teeth helps you to stay away from tobacco forever.
If you are considering having restorations like crowns, fillings, or veneers, it is a good time to whiten your teeth. Because we match the shade of your natural teeth to your new dentistry, whitening your natural teeth first ensures a whiter outcome for your dentistry.
If you have questions about the benefits of teeth whitening, call our Keene, NH office and we will be happy to assist you.
Most adult patients with healthy teeth and gums are good candidates for dental whitening. It is necessary that your teeth and gums are in good condition prior to beginning a dental whitening routine.
If your teeth have excess tartar buildup, it will prevent the surface of your teeth from whitening to their brightest. You may need to have a dental cleaning prior to proceeding with whitening, to ensure the gel has contact with the surface of your teeth.
If you have active periodontal disease, it is important to get that under control prior to whitening. Because gum disease causes swelling and pain, your custom whitening trays may not fit properly or cause unnecessary pain during your whitening process.
If you have a lot of dentistry, it s important for you to know that your crowns, fillings, and veneers will not whiten. We can only whiten your natural teeth. Your crowns and other dentistry will remain the same color they currently are. If you would like to talk about replacing your old dentistry with newer, brighter dentistry, Dr. Sean Drower can discuss your options.
If you are ready for a brighter, more beautiful smile, call our office to schedule a whitening evaluation. One of our highly skilled team members can help get you started.
Meet Our Doctor:
Sean P. Drower DMD, MAGD
After obtaining his Bachelors from the University of Scranton in Scranton, PA, Dr. Sean Drower attended Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, graduating with his DMD. He then went on to perform his general practice residency at Meriter Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin. Dr. Drower has achieved his Master's designation in the Academy of General Dentistry, an achievement earned by only 2% of dentists.
Dr. Drower is a strong believer in ongoing education and is committed to staying on top of the latest advancements in the field of dentistry. He is a ...
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