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| Whitening Options |
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| Chairside Whitening |
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What
is chairside whitening?
Chairside whitening (or in-office whitening/bleaching) is a whitening
procedure that is performed by a dentist or other oral health care
professional in an office environment. They provide the everything
you will need to get started and supervise the entire process. The
chairside whitening procedure can take more than one office visit
to complete depending on the level and type of staining of the teeth
and the level of whitening desired. Each whitening session can take
between 30 minutes to 1 hour per visit.
In all chairside teeth whitening procedures, the whitening agent is
a carbamide or hydrogen peroxide gel. The concentration of the peroxide
in the gel can be anywhere from 10% to 35%.
How does it work?
Chairside teeth whitening process starts with a good cleaning of the
teeth before the actual whitening procedure is begun. Then a protective
gel or some sort of shield is placed on the gums to prevent the whitening
gel from irritating and possibly damaging the gums. This is followed
by the actual whitening agent being applied to the teeth. Some in-office
whitening procedures can also make use of a special laser to speed
up the whitening process.
Next, the whitening gel sits on the teeth for a few minutes and then
gets rinsed off. Another application of the gel is then applied and
the procedure is repeated. This is done several times. The number
of times this is done is dependent on the level of staining on the
teeth and the desired whitening shade. It is possible to see 4 to
6 shades of white difference in just one visit
Advantages of chairside whitening
The number one reason for electing to have chairside whitening done
is because the procedure is done by a dentist or other oral health
care professional. They will be able to tailor a whitening procedure
to your specific needs such as adjusting whitening gel concentration
levels, increasing or decreasing the duration of the whitening gel
application, and the number of times you need to come back for treatment.
Another advantage to chairside whitening is that the results can be
visible even with just one office visit.
Disadvantages of chairside whitening
The biggest disadvantage is the cost. Chairside teeth whitening can
cost anywhere from $300 to $1000. In some areas it can be even higher.
Another issue is the time necessary to have the procedure done. The
time we are talking about is not the actual time the whitening process
takes, but the time it takes to set up the whitening sessions with
your dentist. Each appointment needs to be scheduled and it may be
days in between sessions before he or she can fit you in. From start
to finish, you may end up making more trips to the dentist than you
cared to.
Conclusion
Chairside teeth whitening may best be suited for people with sever
staining and/or unique needs such as individuals with crowns or fillings.
Before starting any teeth whitening procedure it is recommended that
you consult with a dentist or a qualified oral health care professional
to best determine if you are a good candidate. Also, they will be
able to create the best whitening plan for your specific needs and
teeth condition.
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