Downtown Dental Excellence offers ZOOM! Teeth Whitening in Cleveland, TX

There’s nothing quite like brilliant, pearly white teeth. After years of tobacco use, coffee, tea and more, though, your teeth may not be as shiny and white as they used to be. If this is the case, don’t fret! Professional tooth whitening services are available to return the shine to your smile.

Choose Downtown Dental Excellence for your Teeth Whitening today. 

A woman is smiling

What is Teeth Whitening?

When people refer to teeth “whitening,” what they are referring to is a dental procedure that involves teeth whitening treatment that returns teeth to the same whiteness that they used to have. This is done with carbamide peroxide, which when mixed with water releases a non-toxic bleach.

Consider Teeth Whitening

While teeth whitening is purely a cosmetic procedure, it is an excellent option for patients that have issues with their confidence and self-esteem that stem from their yellow or otherwise discolored teeth. Many people have gone years with yellow teeth—leading them to hide their teeth in photos, and even while smiling at their friends and family. Teeth whitening restores a patient’s teeth and makes them bright again—which, in turn, can help to boost a patient’s confidence.

If you are sick of having discolored or yellow teeth, you may want to consider teeth whitening to reduce or even remove stains and discoloration.

Call Downtown Dental Excellence Today! (281) 592-0597

The Procedure

A tooth whitening procedure begins with an examination from the dentist to check if whitening is a good option for you. This will involve your dentist checking your enamel to ensure that it is in good enough condition to handle the whitening. The dentist will also take this opportunity to check for cavities, cracks or other damage to teeth. The whitening solution can actually irritate teeth that are damaged, so they need to be repaired before the whitening procedure.

It’s also important to understand that—even if you decide to purchase over-the- counter whiteners—you need to see your dentist before using them. Many patients try to whiten their teeth with products they found at their local drug store, only to find that they end up damaging their teeth. Whether or not you opt for ZOOM! whitening or even at-home whitening that is prescribed by your dentist, have your teeth checked.

Your dentist will also likely discuss any dental crowns or other replacements that you have had placed, as the whitening process may change the way your teeth look in comparison to crowns or veneers.

Once your dentist has determined that your enamel is in good condition, they will discuss two different options with you for treatment—at-home or in-office.

At-Home or ZOOM!?

As was stated, at-home whitening still requires the supervision of a dentist.

One of the main advantages to working with your dentist on your at-home whitening procedure—besides saving your enamel—is your dentist’s ability to take a mold of your teeth and create a custom tray. This will help to ensure that you get amazing, consistent results. The solution they will use is the carbamide peroxide discussed earlier—which is non-toxic. Even so, the tray is intended to sit against the teeth, and not the gums.

There are generally two options for when to wear the tray—during the day or overnight. While overnight wearers will see faster results (generally one or two weeks), some people’s teeth are too sensitive for this much exposure to the solution. The other option is for a patient to wear them for between two and four hours during the day. If the patient opts for this approach, the whitening process may take as much as three to five weeks to be completed.

Another option for teeth whitening is in-office—often with ZOOM! The advantage of ZOOM! is how quickly you can whiten your teeth with just one trip to the dentist. Your dentist will use a mouth guard coated in a hydrogen peroxide-based gel, and then will use a laser light to activate the hydrogen peroxide. This helps to dissolve stains and dentin, and whiten the teeth in as little as 45 minutes! Your teeth may become as much as ten shades whiter from this procedure.

From there, your dentist will give you an at-home kit to continue to apply treatments from the comfort of your own home.

Costs Involved

The cost of teeth whitening often depends on where you go, how much your individual dentist charges and other factors. Often the price of at-home care will be cheaper—sometimes around $250. In-office treatment is generally more expensive, and is often around $350. Both treatments give you amazing results, but at-home treatment will take longer than in-office, ZOOM! treatment.

Call Downtown Dental Excellence Today! (281) 592-0597

Can General Dentist Perform a Smile Design?

Teeth whitening is an exciting procedure, and can provide outstanding results for the patient. Still, teeth whitening is not a permanent solution. The length that a whitening will last depends on a variety of factors, including:

  • Drinking Coffee
  • Drinking Tea
  • Drinking Red Wine
  • Smoking
  • Other Tobacco Use

In order to keep your teeth whiter for longer, you’ll want to consider slowing down on these activities, or giving them up altogether.

Aftercare

After a tooth whitening, your teeth may be more sensitive. Because of this, many dentists recommend not eating citrus, tomatoes or anything acidic for at least a few days. This also includes drinking tea and coffee. These foods and beverages can also wear away at the enamel, causing the patient to need teeth whitening more often to keep their teeth white.

It is important to continue to brush, floss and wash out the mouth after whitening to not only keep your teeth white, but also maintain your overall oral health. There’s no point in having your teeth professionally whitened, only to need to have them restored with a crown, inlay, onlay or veneer!

Tooth whitening can give you back the white smile that you haven’t seen in years. If you want amazing, white teeth, set an appointment with your dentist for a consultation to see if teeth whitening is an option for you.