Who doesn’t love a bright, white smile? But keeping your teeth that pearly white color is easier said than done. At Rock Creek Dental, we’re happy to help you keep your smile sparkling, by means of one of our most popular cosmetic procedures – tooth whitening.
Benefits
Over time, our teeth obtain outward stains as an after-effect of eating and drinking certain foods and beverages (such as coffee, tea and red wine), tobacco use, or previous poor dental hygiene. The aging process also naturally leads to discoloration.
In many cases, tooth whitening can effectively remove staining and yellowing, giving you the bright smile you’re looking for.
In-office vs. Over-the-counter Treatments
In recent years, the popularity of whitening toothpastes, gels, rinses, strips, trays, and other products available over the counter has increased dramatically. But are these products right for your needs? Here are a few things to consider.
Over the counter tooth whitening kits have improved through the years, but they are not without limitations. Quality varies among brands and products. Overuse and long term use may actually damage teeth. Also, the trays or strips in such kits are designed to be one-size-fits-all. This leads to difficulties and uneven results for some patients.
At Rock Creek Dental, we offer specialized tooth whitening procedures that are more custom-fit to our patients. Not only are our methods safe and effective, they are also very economical. In-office whitening treatments often produce dramatic results: One procedure may actually lighten teeth between three to eight shades – in one hour.
Before deciding on any type of treatment, your dentist should determine whether tooth whitening is the right option for you. Depending on various factors, tooth whitening may be ineffective in your case. Or, you may need to treat other root causes before undergoing tooth whitening. An initial consultation will allow us to perform an oral exam, in which we will consider your individual circumstances.
Your Options
If you and your dentist determine that you would benefit from one of our tooth whitening treatments, the next step is to determine which is best for you – standard or advanced. Make sure to check out the corresponding pages for more detailed information.