Brightening Your Smile

Facts About Tooth Whitening

Many people are interested in having a lighter, brighter, shinier smile. If you've ever considered this, you'd probably like to know more about dentist supervised 'tooth whitening'-- one of the simplest, most effective and safest means of achieving lighter teeth. Depending on your particular dentition, whitening procedures can make teeth lighter and brighter for up to five years. And, performed under our supervision, the process is both safe and effective…the products having received the American Dental Asociation's seal of approval. Occasionally, patients may notice slight gum irritation or tooth sensitivity during the process, but this is entirely controllable and typically disappears after treatment.

Important Considerations

If you're thinking about whitening your teeth, it's a good idea to talk with Dr. Goldberg about how the results could impact your particular situation. He's prepared to discuss with you the criteria for best results, recognizing that some people are simply better candidates than others for a successful whitening treatment. And some are not candidates at all.

For example, if your teeth are darkened to a yellow, brownish or orange tinge due to age, coffee, tea, or smoking, chances are very good that you'll be very satisfied with the results of your whitening. In fact, about 90 percent of patients find this to be the case. However, if your teeth are a dark gray tone from fluorosis, smoking or tetracycline use, whitening results may be less dramatic. Further, it's important to know that whitening does not lighten artificial materials such as resins, silicants or porcelains. Finally, sensitive teeth, teeth with periodontal disease, and teeth with worn enamel typically do not respond well to whitening.

Two Options

Our practice offers two whitening systems: the in-office "Luma-Arch" system requiring only one or two 60 to 90 minute appointments; and a supervised at-home system requiring an average of three 30-minute sessions, conducted daily over a period of two to three weeks.

Using the new Luma-Arch System, whitening involves just a couple of brief steps. First, Dr. Goldberg chooses the 'goal' shade for your teeth. We then apply the lightening gel, using a special halogen laser light to activate the gel's peroxide. This system saves time by lightening both the top and bottom sets of teeth at the same time.

With the at-home system, we first make a careful impression of your teeth from which is fabricated a lightweight, customized whitening 'tray' appliance designed to be worn comfortably during your normal daily activities. When you come in to pick up your tray, we'll also provide you with the proper whitening materials and session directions. Typically, an entire at-home whitening program of daily 30-minute sessions can be completed within two to three weeks.

Spectacular Smile

Although we can't predict exactly how light your teeth will become, we generally expect to see at least a two-shade improvement as indicated on Dr. Goldberg's shade guide. Of course, it's important to remember that the effectiveness and longevity of your results are lifestyle dependant. You can best preserve your new, brighter smile by eliminating habits like smoking, drinking dark liquids such as coffee, colas, and tea. If you do notice that your teeth are less bright in one to five years, you can choose to have a touch-up. In fact, the second procedure is usually less costly than the first, as the original whitening trays may often be reused. Second treatments may require less treatment time, as well.

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