Teeth Whitening in Shenandoah Valley, VA

What Makes Professional Teeth Whitening the Best Choice?

You might hear in-office treatments referred to as “power bleaching” or “chair-side teeth whitening.” Unlike DIY methods, professional dental whitening involves careful monitoring by our dentists. A teeth-bleaching dentist can use special, concentrated formulas that give you instant and dramatic whitening results. They’ll also ensure a pain-free and safe experience that doesn’t harm your teeth and gums.

Although some people see mild results with over-the-counter toothpaste, the truth is that you’ll need a professional dentist to help you address deep stains from smoking, drinking dark-colored beverages, and eating certain foods.

Our dentists can also assist when traditional teeth whitening might not be able to help with certain types of tooth discoloration such as stains from tetracycline and defective fillings or decay. In those cases where dental whitening isn’t enough, we can use restorative materials to correct the color.

Can a Dentist Help You Do Teeth Whitening at Home?

Many of our patients prefer the convenience of whitening their teeth at home. Our dentists provide professional home teeth whitening kits that they personalize to fit your preferences and needs. After taking impressions of your teeth, our dentist can create customized dental whitening trays that you’ll use with a high-grade whitening gel.

These trays can help our patients lighten their teeth by as much as six shades when they wear them for as little as an hour a day for up to two weeks.

How Much Should Teeth Bleaching Cost?

Naturally, you’ll find that several factors can influence your overall teeth whitening cost. Our dentists have the ability to use several types of systems, and these each have different costs. Someone who needs multiple treatments will also pay more than a patient who only needs a one-time teeth whitening appointment.

If you have restoration materials on your teeth such as fillings, then our dentist may need to do more detailed treatments to ensure the tooth color matches throughout your smile. To find out how much your whitening procedure costs, reach out to a dental professional at our office to set up a teeth bleaching consultation. We’ll be able to give you a more accurate estimate once our dentist assesses your unique dental needs.

What’s the Difference Between Professional and DIY Teeth Whitening Products?

Getting teeth whitening gel from a dentist gives you access to the most reliable and fastest results you can achieve. DIY options from your local store include whitening trays, gels, toothpaste, teeth strips, and mouthwash. Although these usually can offer a little improvement to the color of your teeth, they aren’t strong enough to provide consistent and truly noticeable results.

If you use DIY products incorrectly, they can cause uneven coloring in your smile. This is especially true if you have fillings, crowns, or replacement teeth that lighten differently compared to your natural tooth coloring. Asking our dentist to whiten your teeth helps eliminate the negative effects of common user errors.

What Does the Teeth Whitening Procedure Involve?

When you come to our dental clinic for in-office teeth whitening, the specific steps for your procedure can differ a little depending on the system your dentist chooses. The following steps are a general description of what you can expect during a procedure offered by an experienced teeth-whitening dental provider.

1. Your dentist examines and cleans your teeth.
2. They may take photos of your teeth to help achieve the ideal shade.
3. They’ll make accessing your teeth easier by putting a cheek retractor in your mouth.
4. They’ll protect your gums using a special liquid.
5. The dentist applies one or more coatings of bleaching gel to the teeth on the enamel for a period of time before it is removed.
6. Your dentist might use a special light to intensify the results with certain systems.
7. The final step is evaluating the color changes of your teeth and making a plan for follow-up visits or professionally created at-home treatments as needed.

When you’re ready to enjoy a bright, gleaming smile, our team can help! Instead of risking your oral health and happiness on DIY store kits, we encourage you to schedule teeth whitening in Shenandoah Valley, VA services at our clinic today!