Everyone wants brighter, whiter teeth
Tooth whitening has been quite the “in” thing for a while now and we don’t see it going anywhere. White teeth make you look younger, healthier, and more attractive. The decision to whiten seems like a easy decision. But with options are everywhere (grocery stores, malls, drug stores, and don’t forget Nixa Smiles 🙂
But what option is right for you?
After many years of recommending bleaching products to patients, I’ve found there to be two major factors to consider.
- First, how white do you want to go?
- And second, what is your tooth sensitivity?
Some things to consider
Below, we will address several different bleaching options in addition to the above factors.
Over the counter
Many over-the-counter products are good products. I’ve tried them myself. I’ve found them to be a little sticky and cumbersome, but with a little practice and patience I get a fairly good result. Since they are a lower concentration than what your dentist (or us at Nixa Smiles 🙂 has to offer, patients with tooth sensitivity may want to try this first or discuss this with your dentist for options. But since these products are over the counter, you will only get one or two shades whiter and certainly won’t be able to get the concentrated bleaching shades many people desire.
Custom solutions
At Nixa Smiles, we have several different products we offer patients to get the desired results. We make custom fitted trays that hold a thin layer of bleach material onto your teeth. We are able to adjust the intensity by increasing or decreasing the concentration of the bleach to adjust for tooth sensitivity. In addition, many times we recommend using a high strength toothpaste with extra fluoride to strengthen the tooth and prevent sensitivity.
Get photos of Before and After
This is soooooooo important. Have your dentist take before pictures with a dental shade guide. I prefer to take “before” pictures showing the patient’s current shade with a matching shade color and then take “after” pictures comparing the newly bleached shade and the old shade color. It’s so rewarding for both patient and dentist to see their improvement! One other trick that we occasionally use is to bleach the top teeth only first and compare your results to the non-bleached lower teeth. You will be able to see the improvement as you go. Once you are happy with the results, we can catch up with whitening on the lower teeth.
Zoom Whitening
Another popular bleaching routine is Zoom Whitening. If for some reason, bleaching hasn’t worked for you in the past. Please consider a consult at Nixa Smiles to evaluate your smile, type of enamel, and what bleaching technique works best for you.
Dr. Kelly Dove
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