Teeth Whitening

"If you would like to have really white, dazzling teeth, professional teeth whitening with a prescription solution is the single most effective method."

Our Austin, Texas practice provides the best teeth-whitening methods available. Everyone's teeth suffer some degree of staining or dulling due to coffee, cola, tea, wine, tobacco, or the effects of aging. The solution to this inevitable process is to use the best teeth-whitening procedures available.

Teeth-Whitening Methods

The single most effective method of getting teeth their whitest is to use a prescription-strength teeth-whitening solution. This method is more effective than laser teeth whitening, in-office chair side teeth whitening, over-the-counter teeth-whitening systems, or any teeth-whitening toothpaste.

At our office in Austin, Texas, we use a prescription-strength teeth-whitening solution that lets you determine your results. Depending on the number of applications you choose, you can whiten your teeth from one to eight shades. Also, your custom-molded tray will keep the teeth-whitening solution in close contact with your teeth. This prevents the teeth-whitening solution from being diluted by saliva, and protects your gums from irritation. Other teeth-whitening methods are simply not as effective.

Lab studies, such as those performed by Reality Labs and the Clinical Research Association (the Consumer Reports for dentistry), have shown that laser and light-assisted teeth whitening such as Zoom had no effect on whitening results. Teeth are made whiter by the whitening solutions applied to them; the light is just for show and has no effect on the whitening results. In fact the light just dehydrates your teeth giving them a very temporary psuedo-whitening affect.

The Teeth-Whitening Procedure

We begin by creating a custom mold of your teeth during your visit to our office. This teeth-whitening mold or tray is the device that allows the prescription-strength gel to make contact with your teeth. The gel whitens your teeth by lightening the discoloration of enamel and dentin. The longer the teeth-whitening gel is in contact with your teeth, the whiter your teeth get.

There are two types of solution.

Day White: A thirty minute to one hour application twice a day. Most people wear the teeth-whitening tray while reading, watching television, or while doing other leisure activities.

Night White: An overnight application while you sleep.

You determine the degree of whiteness by how often you use the solution. For most people, the first phase of teeth whitening lasts about two weeks, with touch ups once or twice a year. Your trays will last for a very long time and are used for the touch ups. At our office, the teeth-whitening solution, for touch ups, is available at an affordable cost. One of the additional benefits of this teeth-whitening method is that you can keep your teeth white over a long period of time.

Contact Westlake Hills Cosmetic Dentistry in Austin, Texas to learn more about teeth whitening and how it can be used in combination with other aesthetic dental solutions such as porcelain veneers, composite bonding, tooth-colored fillings, and Invisalign® clear braces.