Whitening

Never search for a whitening system, search for the right whitening dentist! Here's how to pick the best whitener. Don't place your faith in a particular product, brand name or flashy advertising campaign. Pick the best dentist. At Empire Dental Center, our dentists will be already using a great whitener!

How whiteners work?

Teeth surfaces are made up of thousands of tiny dentinal tubules hollow structures stacked horizontally, like thin straws. They're extremely porous and absorb pigments from food and drink. Anything that can stain a white T-shirt can discolor your teeth. All the bleaching methods use peroxide; whether in gel, strip, or liquid form to dissolve surface stains to whiten teeth.

Before you bleach

A first timer should always consult our team of dentists before trying any tooth whitener, even an over-the-counter product, because not all teeth react to whitening the same way. Some types of dental work (like caps, crowns, and veneers) don't take to lightening because peroxide can't penetrate them. Stains caused by antibiotics, like tetracycline, are also tricky, because they can occur in the layers inside the tooth, which brighteners can't reach. Your dentist will be able to advise you about the best method for you. Many methods are used to whiten, below most of them:

Tray-Based Tooth Whiteners

Tray-based tooth whitening systems, involve filling a mouth guard-like tray with a gel whitening solution which contains a peroxide bleaching agent. The tray is worn for a period of time, generally from a couple of hours a day to every day during the night for up to four weeks (depending on the degree of discoloration and desired level of whitening).

Whitening:

In-office bleaching provides the quickest way to whiten teeth. With in-office bleaching, the whitening product is applied directly to the teeth. These products can be used in combination with heat, a special light, or a laser. Results are seen in only one, 30- to 60-minute treatment.