New Patients (301) 508-9755

Current Patients (301) 949-5400

12900 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20906

Teeth Whitening Silver Spring, MD

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 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.

teeth whitening in Sliver Spring MD from Dechter and Moy

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. Our 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. Our Silver Spring dentists will meet with you to perform an exam and discuss your cosmetic goals. We will find the source of your stains or discoloration during this exam.

Our cosmetic dentists will make an appropriate recommendation for your needs. We will only recommend appropriate treatments for your unique smile and budget. We are transparent about associated costs and the results you can expect. 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. They will minimize gum irritation 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. Lastly, you can keep the trays and use them for touch ups down the road.

In-office Teeth Whitening

An affordable 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 place a protective barrier in your mouth. The barrier will keep the gel from getting on your lips, tongue, and gums. For the best results, our dentist may provide you with whitening trays to help you do follow-ups at home.

Once the whitening process is complete, our dentist will remove any residue with a special wash. We will make sure that you leave our office with a much brighter and 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

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.

Dental crowns

More and more people are choosing dental crowns to enhance the appearance of their smile. Dr. Dechter can place a porcelain dental crown on a tooth to change its color and create a more seamless look.

Our skilled cosmetic dentist can customize the 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, visit Dental crowns.

Tooth bonding

Tooth bonding is a minimally invasive and cost-effective way to change the color of your teeth. This cosmetic dental procedure can address darkening, yellowing, and bleach-resistant stains. A dentist cannot remove certain stains using traditional whitening treatments.

Our dentist will apply a composite resin compound to the affected tooth. Then he will shape and mold the resin to match the surrounding teeth. To learn about what dental issues we can address using bonding material, visit 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 are very thin shells of ceramic material that we apply to the front surfaces of your teeth. We can fix the color of teeth that have stains that are too deep to fix with teeth whitening.

We can make porcelain veneers in any color and shade too. 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, visit Porcelain veneers.

Teeth Whitening Pros and Cons Infographic

How to Maintain your Teeth Whitening Results

Let’s 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 regularly going to the dentist.

Toothpaste and mouthwash can help you maintain your teeth whitening results. Brushing twice a day will remove 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. Fluoride helps prevent cavities and strengthens tooth enamel.

Next, avoid eating hard foods like popcorn kernels, nuts or hard chips. 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 for the same reason.

It is possible to elongate your teeth whitening results without corrective steps from our dentist. Follow the care guidelines we give you and your results can last a very long time.

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 and only temporary! You can compare it to a sunburn except it is a slight chemical burn.

Your gums should return to normal in a few days. Soft tissue flaking off your gums is no cause for alarm. This is just a part of the healing process. So follow proper dental care practices and avoid habits that can stain your teeth to maintain your new whiter smile for a longer duration.

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 after 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. It does not 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 don’t all have similar effects. Products with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide will break down stains on the surface of your teeth.

Some worry that this process can damage their tooth enamel and remove some or all the natural color. But this is just not true because these chemicals are safe in low dosages.

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 The Brightest Smile in Just One Treatment

Teeth whitening treatments are a great way to get that perfect smile you dream of. You can get faster and better results from our treatments with the help of our family dentists near you.

Dechter & Moy Dentistry will provide you with a range of safe and effective teeth whitening treatments. From in-office laser teeth whitening services to take-home trays, 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.