Bleaching

Whitening

Whitening your teeth is a safe, effective way to give you a more youthful appearance. Bleaching is effective for most everyone unless your teeth are already very white, in which case only veneers would significantly change your teeth color.
It is best to have your teeth cleaned soon before the bleaching and also to have healthy teeth and gums.

Even though all stains are responsive to some type of bleach, artificial materials, such as the porcelain and resin used in dental work, are not affected by bleach. This needs to be taken into consideration if you are considering whitening. For example, you may choose to bleach before having new dental work done or to possibly have existing fillings or crowns replaced if they don't match.

Some people may experience sensitivity to their teeth or gums which should resolve itself within 24hrs. Being prone to sensitive teeth will help determine which type of whitening system will be most effective for you.

The longevity of your results depend on personal habits. Avoiding smoking, drinking tea and soda from a straw, and rinsing your mouth with water after drinking coffee or red wine will help. We provide custom made trays to use with bleaching gel (that can be purchased at our office) with every system to easily maintain your results at home.

Call us today for a complimentary consultation to sit down and evaluate your teeth, and help you choose which system is would best give you the results you desire.

Is bleaching for you?

In just two hours, your teeth can be significantly whiter, taking years off your appearance. Our Knoxville teeth whitening procedure can lighten teeth darkened from age, coffee, tea or smoking. Teeth darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange respond best to bleaching. Other types of gray stains caused by tetracycline and flourosis are lightened but not as dramatically. If you have sensitive teeth, periodontal disease or teeth with worn enamel, Dr. Walmsley may discourage bleaching. Bleaching does not lighten artificial materials such as resins, silicants, or porcelain materials. If the shade of your teeth is already light, bleaching may not make a significant difference. Porcelain veneers may be a better option to achieve a 'movie star' smile.

Is it Safe? Effective? Any Side Effects?

Several studies during the past 5 years have proven bleaching to be safe and effective. Some patients may experience slight gum irritation or tooth sensitivity which should resolve in 24 hours or less. No one can really predict how much lighter your teeth will become, every patients results are different.

At-home systems most often use 10 to 20% carbamine peroxide gels to oxidize stains. Dr James Walmsley makes impressions (molds) of the mouth, and then has soft mouth trays made. The patient is fitted with the trays, and then is instructed to place a thin ribbon of the gel into the tray and wear while sleeping. Most whitening occurs in one to two weeks. In difficult cases, trays may need to be worn for up to six weeks. We have found that a combination of in-office and at-home systems works the best, and routinely achieve between 12 to 15 shades of whitening. The procedure is safe when monitored by Dr James Walmsley, and does not damage the tooth in any way.

White fillings (resin, bonding) or porcelain crowns (caps) and bridges will not whiten significantly with either method. Some patients will experience minor tooth sensitivity during whitening procedures. Dr James Walmsley can remedy this by alternating concentrated fluoride with the peroxide in the mouth trays.

Store bought bleaching systems are not as effective as dentist-managed systems. Unsupervised use of store-bought bleaching systems can cause painful sensitivity to untreated dental cavities. The mouth trays are not custom made, which can cause gum irritation, and the peroxides are not as strong or effective.

How Long Does it Last?

Your bleaching should last from 1-5 years depending on personal habits, such as smoking, and drinking coffee, tea and or red wine. Touchups should be performed at home with bleaching gel which placed in custom trays to help maintain your white smile. These are included if you choose to lighten your smile with in office bleaching. However, in future years, you may choose to have your smile professionally lightened again.

Simply bleaching your teeth can make a dramatic difference in your smile but it is not for everyone. If you are unsure if it would work for you, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call our office for a complementary consultation.