Kathryn Kennedy, DDS

Dentist in Westmont, IL

(630) 810-9940

331 W. 63rd St. Westmont, IL 60559

Westmont Dentist | Teeth Whitening and Bleaching Options

COSMETIC DENTISTRY

When teeth are dark or grey it can affect a person’s confidence when smiling. Teeth whitening options for a new cosmetic smile are available at our dental office in Westmont, IL. Dr. Kathryn Kennedy has implemented and suggested three different options for our patients to help them achieve a whiter smile.

Dr. Kathryn Kennedy has tried several different brands and techniques and we have found that the one that works better than the whitening strips you can buy at the drug store or the fancy lights to speed up bleaching are not needed to get a beautiful smile.

Our patients report that they enjoy the moderate priced GO brand of whitening trays is the most popular – both in terms of convenience as well as in price. The professional version has a stronger concentration and better fitting trays, make this option desirable for most of the patients we discuss whitening with. Using these better fitting trays mean less sensitivity, and the gel stays in contact with the teeth better.

When we are redoing multiple crowns, we may often suggest whitening the opposing arch in order to provide a better color match that is brighter for our patients. The nice thing about using these types of trays is that you have a little more control over the color. If you want them wither, you can wear the trays more days. If the color matches nicely within a few days, you can hold off on the rest of the trays. Everyone’s teeth whiten at different rates so while one person might see noticeable changes in 2 weeks, another person might see improvement in 2 days. It depends upon a number of factors such as age, diet, how dark your teeth are and whether they are in the yellow or grey spectrum or the purple and grey spectrum. Or, it could just be from eating berries and smoking or drinking a lot of dark soda and coffee or tea. Certain nuts and certain medications have been known to cause dark stains on the teeth.

When you come in for your cosmetic consultation, Dr. Kennedy will go over the different options for you and whether she feels one option might work better for you than any other. In some cases, porcelain veneers might be a better option if the discoloration is deep or if there is also chipping, rotations or spacing that we need to correct.

TEETH WHITENING OPTIONS

At-Home Techniques to brightening your smile

One of the simplest methods of getting a whiter smile is by using a mild bleaching agent such as carbamide peroxide in a tray, sitting on your teeth for several minutes to a couple hours over the period of several days.

Whitestrips

Dr. Kennedy has tried several different brands and techniques and we have found that the simplest option is using the over-the-counter whitening strips you can buy at the drug store. Unfortunately, because the concentration of bleaching agent is these is low, it will take a good two weeks form most people to see a result. In addition, they can tend to be a little awkward to apply. Finally, if you have rotated, missing or crowded teeth, the strips may not sit well on your teeth and you could end up with a more uneven bleaching of spots on your teeth. We have had patients with straight teeth use these with limited success, so for a quick fix-p that is inexpensive and temporary, these can help.

Custom-made Whitening Trays

Our patients report that they enjoy the moderate priced GO brand of whitening trays is the most popular – both in terms of convenience as well as in price. The professional version has a stronger concentration and better fitting trays, make this option desirable for most of the patients we discuss whitening with. Using these better fitting trays mean less sensitivity, and the gel stays in contact with the teeth better.

Using either a custom-fitted tray or a better fitting stray will allow the whitening gel to stay closer to your teeth for a longer period and thereby achieve a more consistent result.

ZOOM® Teeth Whitening – In-Office Option

Many of our patients are busy or don’t feel they might be compliant wearing trays at night, so we have recently added the Zoom® Light Process. This is becoming a very popular method due to the fact it takes very little time and produces faster results.

The Process: First we prepare the teeth and protecting the lips and gums with a gel or a thin rubber shield, exposing just the teeth themselves. A special ZOOM®

light is used to activate the gel that is placed over the teeth. This oxygenates the debris in the outer microscopic tubules to come clean and it is through this process, they look whiter. The whole process takes just over one hour. During the procedure, the patients simply relax in the chair.

Some patients may experience a minor sensitivity to cold for a few hours after the procedure but usually dissipates quickly once the pellicle reforms on the outer layer of the tooth again. We also suggest NOT drinking coffee or tea or eating colored berries during the first couple of days afterwards. There is a special toothpaste or a touch-up kit that we can provide that helps keep the teeth white and minimize any sensitivity. Patients enjoy to fact that it’s handled for them and it’s like a mini spa treatment and they come out with a whiter smile!

How Fast Does Teeth Whitening Work?

It depends upon a number of factors such as age, diet, how dark your teeth are and whether they are in the yellow or grey spectrum or the purple and grey spectrum. Or, it could just be from eating berries and smoking or drinking a lot of dark soda and coffee or tea. Certain nuts and certain medications have been known to cause dark stains on the teeth.

Please note that if you have crowns in your front teeth, or large fillings, or a partial denture, these will not whiten and as a result, we may need to create a customized tray or other option to assist you whitening your teeth! Results for teeth whitening can vary and the length of time the teeth stay white vary from individual to individual. Your diet, if you smoke or drink coffee or tea, your home care, and adjacent restorations can all play a factor in your success.

Having professional cleanings, flossing, and limiting darker drinks including sodas can help keep your smile bright longer. It is ok to use the maintenance trays repeatedly after the procedure to help keep up the benefits.