Teeth Whitening in Arlington

Rejuvenate your smile with Essix whitening retainers.

Are you unhappy with the color of your teeth? Have years of stains faded your smile? We can help! Over time, it’s natural for your teeth to fade. That doesn’t mean you can’t have the youthful smile you once had. We deliver effective professional whitening services that can renew the brilliance of your smile.

About the Essix Whitening System

Essix is our advanced teeth whitening system that has proven to be a reliable and effective method for lightening the shade of your teeth. It utilizes custom trays that are designed specifically for your mouth, ensuring a secure fit.

Essix comes in two different concentrations: 16% and 22%. It’s important to note that while the higher concentration will yield faster results, it can also make your teeth more sensitive temporarily.

While Essix is entirely safe to use, you do want to make sure you limit how much whitening gel comes into contact with your gum tissue. Primarily, you’ll want to pay attention to reducing how much gel gets pressed out of the bottom of the tray and onto your gums.

Advantages of Essix

• Bleaching trays are available within days of taking impressions
• Less expensive than other whitening products
• Effectively lightens the shade of your smile
• Penetrates teeth to lift stains

How Do Teeth Whitening Systems Work?

Most teeth whitening systems utilize a bleaching agent whose main active ingredient is peroxide either from hydrogen peroxides or carbamide. In-office teeth whitening in Arlington uses systems containing between 15 percent and 43 percent peroxide compared with at-home systems which contain between three percent and 20 percent peroxide.

In general, how white your teeth will become depends on both the strength of the whitening solution and the length of time it remains on your teeth. That said, the stronger the solution, the less time it should remain on your teeth. This helps you avoid tooth sensitivity and dehydrating your teeth.

While you can use at-home whitening kits that you buy at your local drugstore to whiten your teeth on your own, the safest, quickest and most effective ways to whiten your teeth is to have your dentist either perform the procedure in their Arlington teeth bleaching dentist office or supervise you while you use a do-it-yourself teeth whitening system at home.

One thing to be aware of, however, is that teeth whitening systems only whiten teeth; they will not whiten composite, tooth-colored bondings or porcelain crowns.

Types of Tooth Discolorations

Teeth that are darkened or stained are said to be discolored. Tooth discolorations can affect your entire tooth or just parts of the tooth. When discolorations only affects portions of your teeth, they can appear as spots or lines on the surface of the tooth.

There are two main kinds of tooth discolorations: Extrinsic tooth discolorations – External discolorations occurring on the outer surface of the teeth generally caused by certain foods or beverages coming in contact with the teeth, smoking or poor dental hygiene Intrinsic tooth discolorations – Internal discolorations originating inside the tooth generally caused by certain health conditions or medications, injuries to the teeth or simple aging Which of these types of discolorations your teeth possess will be a main factor in determining both the best type of teeth whitening in Arlington for you to undergo and therefore the teeth bleaching cost.

In-office vs. At-home Tooth Whitening

Here are the basic features and distinctions of each of the two types of pro teeth whitening.

In-office Tooth Whitening

In-office, professional teeth whitening performed by your dentist can make your teeth whiter quicker. That’s because your dentist will use a much stronger teeth bleaching solution than that which at-home teeth bleaching kits contain.

In addition, your dentist in Arlington may incorporate light, heat or a blend of them both into your procedure in order to enhance the process in both intensity and speed.

At-home Tooth Whitening

You have a variety of options available to you should you wish to whiten your own teeth at home. Among the most common include:

• Tooth whitening gels and strips
• Tray-based teeth whitening systems
• Teeth whitening toothpastes
• Tooth whitening mouth rinses
• Tooth bleaching chewing gums

How to Know Which Tooth Whitening System Is Right For You

There are several factors that can influence whether you choose to have your teeth whitening professionally in your dentist’s office or at home under your dentist’s supervision, including:

• Your oral health
• Your teeth’s natural color
• How white you want your teeth to become
• Any previous oral treatments you’ve received
• Possible side effects and risks
• How fast you want to see results

Cost to Whiten Your Teeth

The tooth whitening cost will obviously differ based on which type of treatment you choose and how much work it will require to reach the particular shade of white you would like.

While most dental insurance policies will not cover teeth whitening services, you can get a cosmetic dental care policy that will carry the cost of part or all of the procedure.

Call us to speak with someone in our Arlington dental office about which tooth whitening system would be best for you based on these factors.

The various teeth whitening systems’ relative safety, effectiveness and how long they last are other key factors in deciding between them. Call our Arlington dental office today to discuss which tooth whitening option is right for your unique situation and goals.