San Antonio dentist, Dentist in San Antonio, TX

Whitening

Are you among the 94% who answered yes to the question; "Would you like to have whiter teeth?"

This information on whitening will help you understand the whitening process, decide what works best, and how to achieve long lasting, whitening results. More information is also available at www.opalescence.com.

Opalescence* is the first complete tooth whitening system that has been developed for professional use that meets the ideal criteria of whitening, desensitizing and strenghtening enamel all in one treatment. It has been tested by the American Dental Association and found to be safe and effective and was awarded the ADA seal. Two of the most respected independent dental research groups have also given it their best product rating.

The Opalescence* System

• Quick results- The one hour In-office procedure with Opalescence Boost gives the appearance of about two weeks of home whitening.
• Custom Whitening trays for follow-up home use with Opalescence PF removes critical internal stains. This provides long lasting whitening. (Separate fluoride gel or desensitizing gel can also be applied at home with these trays.)
• The special desensitizing agent found in Opalescence Boost and OpalescencePF minimizes tooth sensitivity. (Some peolple do experience temporary sensitivity when whitening.)
• Fluoride is also in Opalescence Boost and OpalescencePF which strenghtens enamel and makes it more decay resistent at the same time it whitens.

Our teeth tend to become discolored or stained over time. Whether this is from smoking, coffee, tea, or other causes, a whiter, younger looking smile is closer than you think. Opalescence*Professional Whitening Systems are a safe, affordable solution that treat all causes of tooth discoloration.

Whitening strips and the one hour procedures found in malls and on cruise ships whitens only the front surfaces of the front teeth. It may look better temporarily or as long as you keep using the strips, but the discoloration returns in as little as a week after stopping treatment according to testing by the ADA and other independent research organizations.

The Opalescence* Procedure

The first step in the whitening process is impressions. From these we make models of your upper and lower teeth. Then custom whitehing trays will be made to fit over your teeth so that the whitening gel can be evenly applied to all the surfaces of the teeth. The American Dental Association has concluded that "one hour whitening alone will not give the lasting results that most people desire", so some additional Home Whitening is essential even with successful In-office Whitening.

If you choose In-office Whitening, in about an hour of treatment, you will see the same results that about two weeks of Home Whitening. Opalescence Boost* is applied to the surfaces of front teeth and removes surface and enamel stains. In order to maintain the whiter shade, Home Whitening is needed to penetrate the deeper parts of the tooth and affect permanent color change. In a study in April 2008 the American Dental Association confirmed through research that "one hour whitening" alone would begin to relapse in as little as one week. Permanent changes resulted only after In-office Whitening was combined with 5-7 days of Home Whitening.

Home Whitening alone can still yield very dramatic results, however the process takes longer. The custom trays with Opalescence PF gel are worn about two hours a day. Within 10-14 days, most people will see a significant improvement in the color of their teeth. Badly stained or discolored teeth require longer treatment time. The final results are actually in the patient's control since whitening gels of increasing strength are available in our office.

Whitening will only work on natural teeth and will not be as effective in certain cases such as tetracycline staining. Existing fillings, crowns and other restorations will not whiten. We will inform you as to the potential whitening for your specific situation.