Professional Teeth Whitening: What to Expect

When you look at photos of yourself smiling, what do you notice? Is it how happy you look, or is it how yellow your teeth are? If your teeth appear brown or yellow, there could be several reasons — but there’s also a solution. 

Even though Dr. Stephen Hiroshige and his staff are most concerned about your oral health, we also know that how you feel about your appearance is important in how you conduct your life. When you have more confidence, you smile more, and your smile shows that you’re open, friendly, and sure of yourself. Since we want you to feel great, we offer professional teeth whitening. 

Why do teeth begin to look less white? 

Several factors can cause your teeth to change color. For example, some medications can cause your teeth to look yellow or brown. Stains from tobacco or certain foods and beverages can lead to discoloration. Some common culprits include: 

• Red wine
• Coffee
• Tea
• Blueberries
• Tomato sauce

Probably the most common cause, though, is simply getting older. As you age, the clear, hard coating on your teeth, called enamel, begins to thin. As the enamel gets thinner, the inner part of your teeth, called dentin, begins to show through. Dentin is usually gray, yellow, or brown in color. 

Professional whitening—at home

There are several different types of professional whitening. Some dentists use lasers, and some require you to come in at intervals over time for 30- or 60-minute in-office treatments. Dr. Hiroshige recommends professional whitening treatments but at home. 

Here’s how it works: 

• You come in so that we can make a mold of your teeth. We use that mold to make trays that are fitted specifically for you. 
• Once your trays are ready, you come in again so that we can show you how to fill them with a whitening solution and put them in your mouth. 
• We provide you with the solution and give you instructions on how often and for how long to use your trays. 
• You use your trays as instructed in the comfort and convenience of your home, and within a few weeks, you enjoy a brighter, beautiful smile. 

It isn’t the same as over-the-counter solutions

You may be wondering why you would come to us for whitening when you could just buy a kit at the drugstore. There are several important reasons it’s better to come to us for professional at-home whitening services. 

First, because we custom-make molds to fit your teeth, they fit much better than a mass-produced tray possibly could. That means the solution stays in closer contact with your teeth. 

Then, there’s the solution. Our solution has a higher concentration of whitening agents than solutions you can buy over-the-counter. 

Custom molds and highly concentrated whitening solutions are enough to make professional at-home whitening far superior to over-the-counter whitening kits, but you get one other advantage: our expert advice. If you have questions, you can call us or make an appointment to come in, so we can help. 

If you’re considering professional teeth whitening, schedule an appointment with Dr. Hiroshige. He can explain our process and make recommendations based on your current situation.