Teeth whitening can provide the quick, economical and painless smile makeover that you are looking for. Quickly improve your smile for that special event, wedding, reunion, or just to boost your confidence!
Dr. Dechter and Dr. Moy offer in-office and take-home professional teeth whitening in Silver Spring Maryland. We can brighten your smile and take years off of your overall appearance in just a few sessions.
When starting with a healthy clean smile, teeth whitening can remove stains and tooth darkening from lifestyle habits and aging. Our patients often boost the whiteness of their smiles 6-8 shades brighter with a single treatment. A professional whitening treatment at our dental office offers a safer, more effective, and lasting result versus over-the-counter options.
We offer both in-office and custom take home teeth whitening treatments near you. You can chose to do them separately, or you can combine them to suit your dental health needs and cosmetic goals. Your dentist will make recommendations for you after a dental exam and reviewing your cosmetic dental goals.
Professional Teeth Whitening at Dechter & Moy Dentistry
The first step towards a whiter, brighter smile is to evaluate the overall health of your teeth and the source of your stains or discoloration. Our Silver Spring dentists will meet with you to perform an exam and discuss your cosmetic goals.
They will make an appropriate recommendation for your needs and go over associated costs and the results you can expect. We will only recommend appropriate treatments for your unique smile and budget. Any dental work that our dentist performs on you will support your long term dental health.
At-home Teeth Whitening
The at-home process is simple. If you are using a take home teeth whitening kit, we will take dental impressions during your first visit. We will use these to make your custom fit bleaching trays for at-home use.
The bleaching trays will fit over your teeth like a mouthguard and will minimize irritation of the gums while delivering a consistent result. We will instruct most patients to wear the bleaching trays with the whitening gel daily for a specific amount of time. Treatment time varies, but patients typically wear them for a couple of weeks.
You will slowly get a whiter smile as the bleaching products penetrate the tooth enamel. Unlike over the counter options, these bleaching trays contain professional grade bleaching products. They will minimize sensitivity while providing the best results. You can keep the trays and use them for touch ups down the road.
In-office Teeth Whitening
An in-office teeth whitening procedure at our practice will take about an hour. First, we will place mouth protection to minimize irritation and sensitivity, especially in soft tissues in your mouth. Next, our cosmetic dentist will apply a bleaching gel to your teeth and then activate it with a special light. He will aim this light at the teeth at 20 minute intervals, and may reapply the gel between those intervals. Our dentist may also use a laser to speed up the whitening process instead of bleaching gel.
We will also provide you with eye covers to protect them from the light during treatment. Next, we will use a protective barrier so the gel stays only on your teeth and keep the gel from getting on your lips, tongue, and gums. For best results, our dentist may provide you with whitening trays to help you do follow-ups at home and ensure an effective result.
Once the whitening process is complete, our dental office staff will remove any residue with a special wash and leave you with a brighter, whiter smile. In-office whitening often yields the best results. Your new smile will be evident before you leave our dental office! You’ll continue to see results over the span of 24 hours. Don’t delay, request an appointment online today.
Alternative Whitening Treatments
Although, there are certain types of tooth stains that do not respond well or at all to a professional teeth whitening system. For patients with stains that are the result of medical conditions, medications, or genetics, we can offer alternative cosmetic treatments. We can improve the color and appearance of your teeth with a dental crown, tooth bonding, or dental veneers. Learn about these treatments below.
Dental crowns
More and more people are choosing dental crowns to enhance the appearance of their smile. For a single discolored tooth, we can place a porcelain dental crown on the tooth to change its color and create a more seamless appearance.
With the help of our skilled dentist, we can customize a crown with different shades of porcelain to match your natural teeth. Dental crowns not only offer aesthetic benefits but also provide protection for damaged or weakened teeth. They are also great for covering up chips, cracks, and other imperfections. To learn about our dental crowns, see Dental crowns.
Tooth bonding
Tooth bonding is a minimally invasive and cost-effective way to change the color of your teeth. This cosmetic dentistry procedure can address tooth darkening, yellowing, and bleach-resistant stains that a dentist cannot remove using traditional whitening treatments. It involves our dentist applying a composite resin compound to the affected tooth that we shape and mold to match the surrounding teeth. To learn about what we can address using bonding material, see Tooth bonding.
Dental veneers
We can place custom porcelain veneers to enhance the color and appearance of your smile with permanent results. Porcelain veneers are a great alternative to teeth whitening if you just have one or two stained teeth. Our veneers, which are very thin shells of ceramic material that we apply to the front surfaces of teeth, can fix the color of teeth that have stains that are too deep.
We can make porcelain veneers in any color and shade. Our dentist can provide them to help mask or cover up any staining on the front of your teeth. To learn more about our veneer services, see Porcelain veneers.
How to Maintain your Teeth Whitening Results
In this section, we will explore the different ways to maintain teeth whitening results.
First, you need to know that teeth whitening is a type of cosmetic treatment that isn’t permanent. This means that it does not change the structure or function of your teeth, nor will it keep your teeth white forever without followup treatments. Therefore, you should not use it as a replacement for brushing your teeth or going to the dentist on a regular basis.
Toothpaste and mouthwash can help you maintain your teeth whitening results. By brushing twice a day, you are removing plaque and food particles from your mouth that can cause stains on your teeth. It’s key that you find a toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride in them because fluoride helps prevent cavities and strengthens tooth enamel.
Next, avoid using straws or sipping through a straw when drinking liquids because this could damage the enamel on your front teeth. Also avoid eating hard foods like popcorn kernels, nuts or chips because these types of foods can break down the enamel on your front teeth which can cause staining over time. Avoid eating foods with a lot of sugar and acids in them because this can also damage the enamel and stain your teeth.
It is possible to elongate your teeth whitening results without needing any corrective steps from your dentist by following the care guidelines they give you.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Can whitening cause teeth and gums to become sensitive?
Teeth whitening may cause tooth sensitivity and sensitive gums after treatment. In most cases, the sensitivity goes away in a few hours. You can manage tooth sensitivity after a whitening treatment by using a toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Also, avoiding very hot and very cold drinks and food will help the enamel recover faster.
How long will my gums stay white after teeth whitening?
Gums may become “bleached” and appear white after having professional teeth whitening treatment. However, this is not common! It is comparable to a sunburn except it is a slight chemical burn. Your gums should return to normal in a few days. Soft tissue flaking off of your gums is no cause for alarm. This is just a part of the healing process.
How often should you go in for professional teeth whitening?
Most patients who have professional teeth whitening treatment go in every three to six months. Whitening your teeth too often can cause harm to the enamel of your teeth, so it’s important to give them a break to rest and recover between treatments. Patients typically create a dental appointment schedule to clean and whiten their teeth at every dental visit.
When do you see the effects of whitening?
Patients typically see the effect of whitening 24 hours after their first treatment. Results take approximately 2 weeks to become fully apparent but most patients notice a difference in their teeth after 1-2 days. You will see immediate results the same day, but your teeth will continue to get whiter for a couple of hours after you leave our dental office.
Can teeth whitening damage your teeth?
Teeth whitening does not damage teeth. There is no evidence showing that whitening your teeth at the dentist causes any harm to tooth enamel and negatively affect the natural sheen of your teeth. However, too much whitening and whitening too often can have a negative effect to your teeth and gums.
There are many different types of teeth whiteners available out there. However, they all have similar effects in that they change the color of your teeth by using hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These chemicals break down stains on the surface of your teeth. Some worry that this process can damage their tooth enamel and remove some or all of the natural color. But this is just not true.
What causes stained teeth?
Their are obvious things that lead to stained or yellow teeth such as coffee, tea, red wine, dark red sauces, etc. However, there are other things such as certain medications.
Get Your Brightest Smile in Just One Treatment!
Teeth whitening treatments can be a great way to get that perfect smile you have been dreaming of. You can get faster and better results from our treatments with the help of our family dentists near you.
At Dechter & Moy Dentistry, we will be able to provide you with a range of teeth whitening treatments that are safe and effective. From in-office laser teeth whitening to take-home trays and other options, we will have the right treatment for your needs. Call us today at (301) 508-9755 to visit our Silver Spring Maryland office for a teeth whitening consultation.