What to Expect During Teeth Whitening Procedure
The most common concern for patients who visit the dentist is getting their permanently stained teeth corrected. The quickest way that dental professionals whiten teeth is with in-office whitening treatments. At Orlando Center for Cosmetic Dentistry, teeth whitening in Orlando begins with a consultation session first, where the dentist will discuss how many shades lighter they expect your teeth to whiten.
Your actual whitening treatment session
The first thing the dentist will do is usually apply Vitamin E to your lips. This technique is just a protective measure to help prevent cracking and so your lips do not get dehydrated during the treatment. Next, they will place a retractor in your mouth. You only need to relax your lips and cheeks for it to be more easily inserted. Your dentist needs to keep everything dry and protected from the whitening gel throughout the appointment; so, they will insert cotton rolls and gauze into your mouth; make sure they pack your cheeks to cover your salivary glands, that way you are not drooling everywhere. The towel around the blue retractor is also to protect the skin on your face.
After the preparation, which takes only a few minutes, the dentist will then place the liquid dam under your gums. Your oral care provider will place this rubber shield around the edges of your teeth first, then fill it all in so that none of your gums or gingival tissue will be showing. Again, your dentist wants to protect you from the whitening gel because it contains peroxide and other chemicals which can burn your tissues.
Next, your dentist will use a blue UV light to harden the liquid dam material. Once you are all set up and all the barriers are applied, your dentist will then apply the actual whitening solution onto your teeth. Some clinicians prefer to brush in the solution, although it is not necessary. This whitening solution is extremely strong; therefore, you want to make sure that you do not touch it with your fingers at any point during the treatment.
Afterward, they will make sure you are comfortable and attach the blue light guide to the retractor on your mouth. After taking out the device, your doctor will suction out the whitening solution from your teeth. If your doctor is not satisfied with the shade, he or she will apply another layer of the whitening solution and repeat the process. After you are done with the second round, your dentist may stop there or continue with a third round. It is common to feel sensitivity around your teeth, especially the bottom front teeth but if you feel any sensitivity around your gums, you should let your doctor know to help you with that. Once you are all done, they will take everything out of your mouth and rinse out any leftover residue.
Post-treatment care
You want to avoid dark-colored foods and liquids for 24 hours after whitening. After that, you should be back to normal with your regular brushing and flossing routine. Your dentist may also give you take-home whitening gels for maintenance and fast touch-up. Some offices will also provide sensitivity relief gels if you are prone to sensitivity which is something else that you will discuss during that first consultation appointment. Depending on your lifestyle and enamel, you can get one shade lighter to ten shades lighter. Contact Orlando Center for Cosmetic Dentistry by phone to book a teeth whitening session for a healthy mouth.
