Teeth Whitening

Non-Vital and Vital Whitening

Vital whitening is for patients who suffer from stains on the surface of their teeth.  Non-vital whitening is more for patients who suffer from the appearance of discolored teeth, but when the discoloration is coming from factors within the inside of the tooth.  Most commonly, non-vital whitening is used after a root canal procedure. 

In both professional and personal affairs, your smile is one of your most valuable assets.  It’s one of the first things people see when you meet them, and it carries important body language. Don’t be hesitant to flash a smile if your teeth are stained or discolored–if old habits or aging has discolored your teeth, it’s very simple for your dentist to restore a brilliant smile.

Zoom! Whitening

Zoom! is a new teeth whitening procedure available at our dental facility. It is very fast (just over an hour), while still being both safe and extremely effective.  For busy individuals, the convenience of Zoom! whitening makes it a clear choice over strips or trays, or treatments that can take days, weeks, or even months.  The Zoom! procedure is easy: we start by isolating your gums and lips, then the dentist will apply whitening gel and activate it with a special light.  After the gel is applied and activated, a protective fluoride treatment is applied to the teeth.  The process usually ends with teeth that can be six or up to ten times whiter than when the patient walked in, and in some cases even more.  Often, teeth will even continue to lighten in shade for the following few days.

Tray Whitening

For at-home or in-office tray whitening, impressions must be made from a patient’s teeth, and a custom vinyl tray is fabricated in a lab.  Carbamide peroxide gel is placed in the tray, which is then worn either overnight or for up to three hours.  Continued daily use is recommended for about 3-4 weeks to achieve bright, white, healthy teeth.  Different strengths of gel are available for more dramatic results, however patients will be made aware that stronger gels may sometimes increase sensitivity or tooth reactions.  This method is recommended by our dentist for patients with heavily stained teeth, and may sometimes take longer than the initial 3-4 weeks.