Teeth Whitening

Providing Teeth Whitening in Carmel, IN

Everybody loves a bright white smile, and there are a variety of products and procedures available to help you improve the look of yours.

Many people are satisfied with the sparkle they get from brushing twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, flossing once a day, and regular cleanings at the dentist's office. However, if you decide you would like to go beyond regular care to make your smile look brighter, you should investigate all of your options.

Finding the Best Treatment for You

Schedule a visit with our dentist to learn whether whitening procedures would be effective for you. Whiteners do not correct all types of discoloration. For example, yellowish teeth will probably bleach well, brownish teeth may bleach less well, and grayish teeth may not bleach well at all. Likewise, whitening may not enhance your smile if you have had tooth-colored fillings or crowns. The whitener will not affect the color of these materials and they will stand out in your newly whitened smile. In these cases, you do have other options, such as porcelain veneers.

Tooth Whitening Treatments

• Professional teeth whitening with your doctor
• At-home whitening system
• Whitening toothpaste

When selecting a whitener or any dental product, be sure to look for the ADA Seal of Acceptance - your assurance that a product has met ADA standards of safety and effectiveness.

Professional Teeth Whitening with Zoom White Speed

Professional teeth whitening  is your best choice when you need immediate whitening results. This procedure is called chairside bleaching and may require more than one office visit. Each visit may take from 60 to 90 minutes.

During chairside bleaching, a member of our team will apply either a protective gel to your gums or a rubber shield to protect the oral soft tissues. The Zoom bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth and a special light may be used to enhance the action of the agent. Learn more at http://www.zoomwhitening.com/en_us/product_comparison

At-Home Whitening System

There are several types of products available for use at home, which can either be dispensed by our office or purchased over the counter. They are generally teeth whitening trays (mouthguards), strips, or paint-on products.

Teeth Whitening Trays with Zoom DayWhite

These products contain peroxide(s) which actually bleach the tooth enamel. Carbamide peroxide is the bleaching agent and comes in several different concentrations (10%, 16%, and 22%). Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in a gel and are placed in a mouthguard. Usage regimens vary. Some products are used twice a day for two weeks, while others are intended for overnight use for one to two weeks. If you obtain the bleaching solution from our office, we can make a custom-fitted mouthguard for you that will fit your teeth precisely. Currently, only dentist-dispensed, home-use, 10% carbamide peroxide tray-applied gels carry the ADA Seal. Learn more at http://www.zoomwhitening.com/en_us/product_comparison

Paint-On Teeth Whitening With the Zoom Pen

Paint-on teeth whitening allows you to apply a bleaching agent directly to your teeth without an appliance or strip. You simply "paint" the whitener onto the surface of clean, dry teeth. Paint-on whitening products require twice-daily applications to be effective. The duration of treatment will vary. An advantage in this process is that you can selectively paint individual teeth. Learn more at http://www.zoomwhitening.com/en_us/product_comparison

Teeth whitening can have minor side-effects. For example, teeth can become sensitive during the period when you are using the bleaching solution. In most cases, this sensitivity is temporary and should lessen once the treatment is finished. Zoom White Speed has been reformulated to where minimal to no sensitivity has been reported by our patients. Some people also experience soft tissue irritation, either from a tray that doesn't fit properly or from solution that may come in contact with the tissues. If you have concerns about such side effects, you should discuss them with Dr. Helton or Dr. Beavers.

Whitening Toothpaste

All toothpastes help remove surface stain from your teeth through the action of mild abrasives. "Whitening" toothpastes in the ADA Seal of Acceptance program have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaches, these ADA Accepted products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.