Key Facts: Laser Speed®
Whitening
What Happens At My One Hour Laser Speed ® Whitening Visit? At your first visit, we review your health questionnaire, explain the whitening procedure and answer any questions. If you desire, you may consult with the doctor. We then isolate your teeth and protect your gums with a special coating. Next, a professional strength whitening gel is applied to the face of the teeth in your smile line. Then, a very bright whitening lamp is focused on your teeth. After fifteen minutes, the gel is removed. The procedure is repeated two more times. Finally, a soothing application of fluoride is applied.
Who Does My Whitening? One hour Laser Speed ® Tooth Whitening is performed by a team of specially trained dental professionals under the supervision of a licensed dentist. Note: While teeth, gums and lips are seen during the whitening process, these observations should not be construed as a dental exam, a diagnosis or a treatment recommendation. Clients with oral concerns should consider a separate diagnostic visit with a dentist prior to treatment.
How White Can My Teeth Get? Almost everyone achieves a noticeable improvement. However, there are no reliable methods to predict the degree to which teeth will whiten. Along with environmental factors (coffee, tea, cola, tobacco), each individual has a genetically determined tooth color. With one hour Laser Speed ® Whitening, 1-2 initial sessions may be necessary to significantly whiten teeth. When “At-Home” whitening trays are utilized, 1-2 weeks of daily use (along with periodic touch-ups) will often give noticeable results. Tetracycline and other deeply stained teeth may require additional months of “At-Home” use.
Do You Guarantee Results? While we can never predict how white your teeth may become, we can guarantee that you can pay double or triple for the same results. The color of each individual’s smile is uniquely different. Some smiles have discolored teeth that have been “drowned” in coffee while others may have absorbed years of cigarette smoke. Still others, as result of tetracycline uptake during the tooth’s development, may contain deep gray-green striations. Additionally, genetics, tooth/gum sensitivities, oral hygiene and one’s compliance with post treatment instructions will all contribute to the final results.
How Comfortable Is My Whitening Visit? Most clients remain completely comfortable during and after treatment. However, some individuals respond to almost any tooth whitener with symptoms ranging from cold sensitive teeth to minor gum irritation. While a rare case of “toothache-like” pain may provoke concerns, it almost always disappears in 6-12 hours. Minor cold sensitivities generally fade away in 2-4 days. Although the degree of post-treatment sensitivity has often been anecdotally linked to exposed roots, toothbrush abrasion or young, developing teeth, there is no way to accurately predict an individual’s comfort. For relief of symptoms, take a tolerated analgesic such as Aleve, Tylenol or Advil.
Will My “Dental Work” Whiten? Dental restorations such as caps, crowns, bridges, veneers, fillings and dentures will not lighten or be affected by tooth whitening. For maximum cosmetic effect, consider completing your whitening before replacing any sound but discolored dentistry.
How Soon After Tooth Whitening Can I Get Veneers, Bonding or A New Filling?Wait four weeks after “In-Office” or “At-Home” tooth whitening, including the use of Toothpaste Topper™ Whitening Accelerator, before having any new dentistry. This minor delay allows the tooth to re-hydrate to its natural color and to establish a more accurate shade match. Additionally, it permits any oxygen from the bleaching process to escape from the tooth creating the conditions for an optimal bond.
Once I Have Whitened, When Do I Need To Re-Whiten? Once whitening is completed, there will be a gradual relapse to your original color. This is a natural result of eating, drinking, smoking and age. Periodic maintenance sessions are usually necessary to keep teeth their whitest.
Which Discolorations Whiten Best? Teeth that have dark yellow or yellowish-brown coloration often obtain the most significant results. This type of “absorbed stain” is often caused by coffee, tea, cola, cigarettes and age. “Thin” translucent teeth and/or those that are internally discolored with gray or bluish-gray hues often whiten to a lesser degree. Striated, multi-colored and/or lightly tetracycline stained teeth whiten slowly and/or unevenly and often require multiple whitening sessions. Teeth with deep cosmetic scarring such as fluoride mottling, white-spot decalcification and tetracycline antibiotic may be less than ideal candidates for whitening. These deeply discolored teeth, as well as those in need of, or having, multiple, large dental restorations, might best be addressed with cosmetic veneers or crowns. Note: A dental cleaning prior to whitening may enhance the whitening process by removing surface stains, plaque and calculus that can block the penetration of the whitener.
What If I have Medical Concerns?
One Hour Laser Speed ® Whitening is very safe procedure. Its whitening gel is only applied to teeth that have been thoroughly isolated from the mouth. There is little chance of swallowing or absorbing it. Even the protective coating applied to the gums just lightly “flicks” away when finished. However, it is still important to inform this office of any medical considerations. Pregnant women should consult with a doctor prior to whitening. Clients with a history of rheumatic fever, heart murmur, congenital heart disease, and/or implants such as dental, hip, joint or heart valve may need antibiotic medication before treatment. Prescription compliance may protect against death from bacterial endocarditis. Speak to a physician and/or a dentist prior to whitening concerning any need for prophylactic medication.
If I Need “Dental Work”, Can I Still Whiten My Teeth? Open “cavities”, broken fillings, loose crowns, and exposed roots can allow the whitening gel to permeate into the tooth. Teeth presenting with the above concerns should be restored or temporized prior to whitening. As a precaution during the whitening process, the same protective coating applied to the gums may be utilized to cover a potentially sensitive area.
Can My Teeth Get Too White? Once any discoloration from coffee tea, cola, tobacco is removed, there is a genetic level at which teeth will not get any “whiter”. More is not better! Overuse of whiteners may cause portions of the teeth to appear translucent or take on a blue-grey hue. Limit One Hour Laser Speed ® Whitening to a dentist’s recommendation. Use “At-Home” whiteners as directed by your dentist or the manufacturer.
Why Does Tooth Whitening Temporarily Accentuate Minor White Spots?
Although whitening gels are applied wet, they actually dry out the tooth surface. White spots, calcium deposits or uneven areas of whitening may represent natural, pre-existing surfaces of softer, more penetrable tooth structure that have been deeply dried out by the whitening process. These white spots may take up to a week longer to regain their original moisture and return to their natural color.
Will My Jaw Get Too Tired? Keeping one’s mouth open for an hour long whitening session or wearing “At-Home” whitening trays for multiple sessions rarely causes the jaw to tire or become sore. However, please advise us of any difficulties in jaw opening so we may schedule time breaks into your whitening session and/or modify your “At-Home” whitening schedule.
Tell Me About Your Optional “At-Home” Whitening Program: “At-Home” whitening is an economical method, for compliant individuals to whiten or maintain a previous tooth whitening. It is ideal for heavy smokers, coffee drinkers and/or those with tetracycline stain. Impressions are taken and thin, “night guard-like”, whitening trays are constructed to perfectly fit one’s teeth. These trays are then lined with a fresh bead of whitening gel and worn at home. They are used for 15 minutes a session up to three times daily for no more than two weeks. Afterwards, “touch-up” sessions can be periodically performed. Note: Since “At-Home” whitening trays are an exact fit, they may need to be remade if the teeth are altered by new fillings, crowns and/or veneers, etc.
Is It More Comfortable To Whiten At Home? “At-Home” tooth whitening may produce a subdued but longer lasting sensitivity. Most “At-Home” whitening sensitivities are resolved by reducing the number of daily whitening sessions or decreasing the application time (e.g. from 15 minutes to 5 minutes) or simply stopping treatment for a few days. Note: A small amount of desensitizing toothpaste, such as Sensodyne®, applied to the whitening tray and used in the same manner as the whitening gel, may help reduce cold sensitivity.
Will My Dental Insurance Cover Tooth Whitening?
As with
most cosmetic dental procedures, your dental benefit plan will
not cover the cost of treatment. However, we do accept
MasterCard®
VISA®
and Discover Cards®.
Copyright© 2006 Don E. Millner DDS PC |
