Teeth whitening Specialist in Santa Ana, CA

The process of having teeth professionally whitened at a dental clinic often starts with determining the exact shade of the teeth initially so that the dentist can mix of a concentration of the bleaching product to achieve the desired shade result. The dentist will then clean the teeth properly to remove all plaque and tartar that may block the bleaching product from being put on evenly. Once the teeth and product are all prepped, the dentist will place a rubber dam on over the teeth to prevent the product from making contact with the gums while the product is then painted onto the teeth. The bleaching product is activated using a light as it speeds up the reaction of the whitening product allowing for the bleaching of the teeth to occur a bit more quickly (typically taking around 30 minutes). Once the teeth are the desired shade, the rubber dam will be removed and the patient will rinse their mouth thoroughly to remove any remaining chemicals. It is common for dentists to finish a whitening treatment with a fluoride rinse to encourage the results for as long as possible and provide a beautiful shiny finish.

Dentists will typically recommend that their patients have their teeth whitened every 12 to 18 months, depending on how long the patient has been able to enjoy their results following treatment. Whitening treatments should not be done too regularly as they contain powerful bleaching agents that can be damaging to the teeth, making having the treatment done professionally that much more important. Dentists can provide at-home kits as well for patients to whiten their teeth at their own convenience, typically needing to be done every 4 to 6 months.

Professional teeth whitening is often done using hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide-based gels that work to break down the stains when applied to the teeth. These two chemicals essentially are the same as carbamide peroxide reacts with saliva to become hydrogen peroxide, which releases oxygen free radicals that attract the molecules of common stains on the teeth, releasing the bond between the molecules and the teeth, allowing the molecules that caused the staining to be easily washed away. The addition of a light or laser that is often used during professional teeth whitening treatments in dental clinics is only used to speed up the chemical reaction, however, hydrogen works fairly quickly, allowing for the stain molecules to be released from the teeth within 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the amount of staining that needs to be removed.

While the results from a professional teeth whitening treatment are not permanent, the length of time that you will be able to enjoy the beautiful results varies significantly from person to person, lasting anywhere from 3 months to 3 years. Your dentist will provide tips to help you prolong the whitened results for as long as possible, some of which will likely include avoiding consuming foods or beverages that are more likely to stain your teeth such as black coffee, red wine, dark teas, tomato-based sauces, and curries. Those who smoke regularly are also likely to experience worse staining on their teeth, so if you have your teeth professionally whitened, your dentist will likely recommend that you try to quit smoking and reduce your consumption of foods and beverages that contribute to staining as much as possible to get the most out of your treatments.

Do you want to brighten your smile? We at Bay Dental, Santa Ana CA offer teeth whitening services. For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 3620 S. Bristol St. Suite #307, Santa Ana, CA 92704. We serve patients from Santa Ana CA, Irvine CA, Lakewood CA, Costa Mesa CA, Garden Grove CA, Westminster CA, Orange CA, Anaheim CA, and South Coast metro areas.