Teeth Whitening in Eau Claire

Understanding The Basics

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Teeth whitening works by applying chemical whiteners such as hydrogen or carbamide peroxide which bleach the teeth. These chemicals contain oxygen molecules that cause a reaction and break down staining molecules in the teeth.

The oxygen molecules also increase the porosity of the teeth through demineralization. This is what leads to temporary tooth sensitivity. By breaking down these staining molecules, the whitening agent can remove not only surface stains, but also deep intrinsic stains.

Professional teeth whitening treatments at Shook Family Dental in Eau Claire are much more effective than using drugstore whitening trays, because of the differences in the concentration of peroxide.

You can be sure that your dentist will safely administer the proper amount of peroxide without damaging the soft tissue inside your mouth. Whitening treatments at the dentist also contain higher concentrations of peroxide which are more effective at whitening the teeth to remove those deep stains.

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What To Expect

At Your Whitening Consultation in Eau Claire

Your appointment will begin with a comprehensive oral exam, where we will look for any signs of oral health issues and assess the appearance of your smile. Then, you’ll have an honest conversation with your doctor about your smile, how you’d like to improve it, your budget, and more. Then, he will develop a custom treatment plan to restore your smile based on your preferences, and you’ll take the first step toward the smile you deserve.

In-Office

Teeth Whitening

An in-office treatment produces the most drastic and fast change to the shade of your teeth. While you may require multiple sessions if you have severe discoloration, most people will only require a single appointment that is about an hour long.

A one-hour session can lighten your teeth by up to 10 shades. If you have a special event coming up or need to take formal photos soon, this is the perfect opportunity to brighten up your teeth.

We will place a cheek protractor to keep your mouth open and we’ll apply a protective gel to your gums so the whitening agent doesn’t harm your gums. Then, we’ll apply the whitening agent to each tooth and activate it with UV light. At the end of your treatment, we’ll rinse away the whitening agent which will reveal your new pearly white teeth.

Whiten over time

Take-Home Teeth Whitening

Don’t have a special occasion coming up and would rather have a flexible whitening treatment that can be done at home? Take-home teeth whitening enables you to gradually whiten your teeth without ever leaving your house and produces the same results as in-office whitening.

We’ll just ask that you come in for a quick appointment in Eau Claire to take impressions of your teeth. This serves as the model for your whitening trays that are custom-fit to your mouth. Again, this prevents any bleaching agents from coming into contact with your soft tissue.

Once your trays are ready, you’ll pick them up along with instructions and the peroxide-based whitening gel. Because this treatment contains lower peroxide concentrations, it needs to be worn for longer than in-office whitening.

You’ll apply the whitener to your trays, pop them over your teeth, and follow the directions for how long to wear them and how often. This typically takes 2 weeks.

benefits

Convenient

Safe

Effective

How Long Does Teeth Whitening Last?

Teeth whitening has an average lifespan of 6 months to 3 years. This is because many factors can affect the shade of your teeth, such as your oral hygiene practices, diet, and lifestyle. We recommend that you regularly brush and floss your teeth every day.

Don’t skimp out on routine dental appointments. The ADA recommends getting a dental cleaning every 6 months and this will remove surface stains and plaque which forms a yellow film around your teeth.

In addition to this, try drinking out of a straw or reducing your consumption of foods and drinks that are highly pigmented, because these will stain your teeth. Smoking will also cause tooth discoloration and should be avoided.