Teeth Whitening - South Charlotte Dentistry

Someone once said, "I’ve never seen a smiling face that wasn’t beautiful."

But, sadly, many people don’t smile. They want to, but they’re embarrassed about their teeth. Maybe they’re self-conscious about yellowing or brown stains caused by years of smoking and coffee and tea drinking. Maybe the years have caused a dullness or grayness. Maybe they’re convinced that discolored teeth are just hereditary and there’s nothing they can do to fight it.

Does any of this sound like you?

Let Dr. Wells and his staff at South Charlotte Family and Cosmetic Dentistry help you achieve the beautiful white smile you deserve. Tooth whitening, or tooth bleaching, is considered a cosmetic dental procedure and these days, it’s very common. We offer two safe and effective methods of tooth whitening to our patients. Dr. Wells will help you chose the method that’s right for you and the one that will help you get the best results.

Our preferred method of tooth whitening is the ZOOM! Whitening Process. We have found it be the fastest, most effective way to brighten your smile. The method is tried-and-true – we have had tremendous success with it for our patients, and the Phillips company, developer of this method, estimates that more than 4 million people have used it with great results. That’s a lot of happy smiles!

We like ZOOM! because it is fast and the results are dramatic. Patients have seen their teeth whiten an average of six to 10 shades in a single visit with ZOOM! To get these great results, we use the ZOOM! Proprietary UVA light to aid in the whitening process. Your ZOOM! treatment begins with a short preparation where we cover your lips and gums so only your teeth are exposed to the light. Once that’s done, the ZOOM! whitening gel, which contains hydrogen peroxide, is placed on your teeth. Then we place the light in front of your teeth. The gel and the light work together to penetrate the tooth enamel’s outer layers, breaking up stains and discolorations. The process is repeated three times in an office visit that lasts about an hour.

Our patients overwhelmingly prefer this method of whitening. Most tell us that the speed of this treatment is the main benefit. Some patients have complained that sitting in the chair for an hour with their mouth open is a bit uncomfortable, but they do love the result. You’ll probably be happiest with the ZOOM! method if you can find room in your budget for it. !

For some patients, whitening trays are the way to go. The advantage of using whitening trays is that it is less expensive. On the down side, it takes longer. It’s an effective method and a much better solution than using an over-the-counter drugstore method. But with trays, you are not going to get the dramatic result that you would get with ZOOM!

To start, Dr. Wells will fit your teeth with vinyl trays. Fitting is important; the tray needs to be snug enough to keep the gel on your teeth but loose enough to provide even coverage of your teeth. And a good fit is important for comfort as well. He will prescribe a teeth whitening gel for you to take home and use in your trays. The gel contains a carbamide peroxide of about 10 percent to 25 percent concentration. When placed in the tray, this carbamide peroxide reacts with your saliva to become hydrogen peroxide. You will wear the trays for two to four hours each day. It usually takes about three weeks to complete the process, but you may notice a difference in about two days.

At South Charlotte Dentistry, we know that no two patients are the same, and no two mouths are exactly alike. That’s why we want to help you choose the best way to get the bright, confident smile you want. Not everyone is a candidate for teeth whitening, but we’ll be happy to talk with you about the best treatment for you. If you’d like to find out more, please call our office at 704-759-0908 for an appointment today.