Teeth Whitening
Teeth Whitening at Pickering Smile Centre – Reveal Your Most Beautiful Smile
At Pickering Smile Centre, we offer several professional teeth whitening solutions, including both in-office procedures and take home products. We can help you achieve the bright, confident smile you have always wanted. Whether you are dealing with staining or discolouration caused by age, tea, coffee or red wine, smoking, or even genetics, we can help you to find a safe and effective way to reveal a beautiful, youthful smile.
Am I a good candidate for teeth whitening?
Whether or not tooth whitening is the right path for you depends on a number of factors. Patients with staining caused by food and drink, smoking, or aging are often excellent candidates for teeth whitening and can get some great results.
However, if you have anterior teeth that have been root canal treated, have gum recession exposing root surfaces, or are heavily restored with fillings or crowns, you may be disappointed with the results of whitening procedures. Products used for teeth whitening are only effective on enamel and will have no effect on restorations or root surfaces.
Root canaled teeth, although still present and functioning in your mouth, do not respond well to topical whitening treatments. There are ways to improve the shade of root canal treated teeth, but they require a more extensive procedure involving internal bleaching, where a small access hole is created and a specialized whitening product is placed inside of the tooth.
Why Choose Professional Teeth Whitening Products?
By choosing professional whitening products from your dentist, you are ensuring that the product you are using is both safe and effective, and most importantly not damaging to your teeth. Some over the counter products are not strong enough to have a good effect on the colour of your teeth. Others are abrasive and can damage the surface of your enamel, actually making your teeth more susceptible to staining over time. Some bleaching products can even cause a chemical burn on your gums and other soft tissue.
At the Smile Centre, we only use Health Canada tested and Canadian Dental Association approved, safe and effective products for teeth whitening.
What are my options if I want a whiter smile?
Take Home Products
There are a couple of different options for teeth whitening. Patients may choose one over the other for many reasons, including cost, time, and tooth sensitivity.
There are take home whitening products that are used by placing a bleaching gel into custom fitted trays and wearing them on your teeth at home. Some of these products are designed for overnight wear, while others are meant for daytime use. The duration of treatment depends on what type of bleaching agent you are using, and how easily your teeth lighten. Generally speaking, younger patients and those with brown or yellow staining experience the quickest results, while older patients and people with grey tones in their enamel may need more time to achieve optimal results. This type of take-home bleaching process can take anywhere from 5 days up to a month of daily use. Some products require 15min wear, while others need several hours to be effective. Choosing which product is best for your needs is important. Your dentist or dental hygienist can help you to understand which type of whitening would best suit your needs.
In-Office Procedures
We also offer an in-office option, which can often see amazing results in only one appointment. This type of procedure is ideal for people who feel they are too busy to commit to a daily routine with whitening trays. At Pickering Smile Centre, we offer ZOOM! Whitening. A ZOOM! dental visit requires roughly 1-2 hours and involves multiple applications of the lightning gel during the appointment. Due to the strength of the product, a protective barrier is applied to the gums and soft tissues before the whitening gel is applied. There is a LED light used to accelerate the process. Most patients are happy with their results after only one session, however some people with more difficult teeth to lighten may require additional sessions to achieve the result they desire. ZOOM! Whitening can be performed by a dentist or a dental hygienist, and is a great way to see results quickly.
Specialized Processes
Another whitening process which is often forgotten about is Internal Bleaching. This is a treatment created exclusively for lightening root canaled teeth. Root canaled teeth, although they are still in the jawbone and aiding with function, often darken over time. This happens because the tooth is no longer connected to the blood and nerve supply and is considered to be a non-vital (dead) tooth. Internal bleaching is done by your dentist, and is accomplished by creating a small access hole in the back of the tooth and placing a specialized bleaching product inside the tooth. This process may require several visits to achieve the desired result, but can be a good option for those who prefer not to cover up the tooth with a crown or a veneer.
How long does whitening take? In office procedures can take as little as 1-2 hours to complete, while take-home products can range between 3 days up to several weeks, depending on the severity of the staining and the type of discoloration present. Treatment duration can also be longer if daily wear trays are not being used on consecutive days. Take home products are very effective, but they only work when applied correctly and consistently.
Is Teeth Whitening Safe?
Professional teeth whitening is a safe and effective way to brighten your smile. While some patients experience temporary or transient tooth sensitivity after whitening, most report no discomfort at all. Sensitivity caused by teeth whitening products generally disappears about 24hrs after the treatment is finished. This type of sensitivity can also be lessened by using toothpaste designed for sensitivity or fluoride products to help speed up the recovery process.
How white will my teeth get?
Most patients can expect a 6-10 shade change in the colour of their teeth with professional teeth whitening. The results depend on the severity and cause of the discoloration. Patients with staining from food and drink, smoking, and general aging usually experience faster and more dramatic results than those with deeper discoloration caused by genetics or some medications.
How long does it last?
Results from professional teeth whitening typically last several months to years, depending on your diet and oral hygiene habits. By avoiding staining food and drinks like tea, coffee and red wine, and refraining from smoking, you can maintain your new and improved smile longer.
Book Your Teeth Whitening Consultation Today!
📍 Conveniently located at Pickering Smile Centre, inside the Jerry Coughlan Health & Wellness Centre
💻 Schedule a virtual consultation or in-office visit today!
Let us help you to reveal the brighter, more youthful smile that you have always wanted!
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