Teeth whitening in Florida

What Is In-Office Teeth Whitening?

Professional teeth whitening treatments from our office in South Ocala are designed to improve the color and appearance of your teeth and enhance your self-confidence with just one treatment. With our professional whitening gel, the improvements to your smile are immediate.

If your teeth have discoloration or stains from smoking, you are an ideal candidate for teeth whitening from our professional dentists. Additionally, if you have stains from the long-term consumption of certain drinks like coffee or wine or soda, you’re also considered a prime candidate for professional whitening. We find that most patients are eligible for professional whitening, but there are a few cases in which the discoloration will not go away with a bleaching gel. These instances include the stains caused by overexposure to fluoride, any problems of discoloration associated with advanced tooth decay, and long-term consumption of the medicine tetracycline. What you may not know is that certain dental restorations will not respond to professional whitening treatment, including fillings, veneers, and crowns.

We’d also like our patients to know that the results achieved from teeth whitening aren’t permanent. After your treatment one of our dentists in South Ocala will be able to recommend a timeframe for when you would need another whitening treatment in our office, or we can provide you with an at-home whitening kit. Contact us today to make your appointment.

Teeth Whitening at Home

Besides our in-office teeth whitening treatments, we also offer the option of whitening your teeth in the comfort of your own home with our professional at-home whitening kits. We’ll take impressions of your teeth to design a custom-fit whitening tray that fits securely over your teeth. The whitening trays are made of a clear plastic and look similar to a mouth guard. You’ll fill your whitening tray with our professional-grade bleaching gel and wear them up to an hour a day over a period of two weeks. Over this period of time, many patients can whiten their teeth up to six shades.

What Does Teeth Whitening Cost?

Your final teeth whitening costs can vary and are dependent on many different factors. Those factors include how many treatments are required to whiten your teeth, whether any follow-up treatments are required, how badly your teeth are discolored, and the type of whitening system you choose (take-home kit or in-office treatment). In general, an in-office teeth whitening treatment costs more in comparison to our take-home whitening kits.

Since most insurance companies consider professional whitening a cosmetic treatment, it’s usually not covered by dental insurance. Please contact us to schedule an appointment for more information about your teeth bleaching cost. After evaluating your dental needs, your dentist can provide an estimate of your expected costs.

Difference Between Professional vs. DIY Teeth Whitening

If you’re interested in whitening your teeth, you might think that over-the-counter teeth whitening products work just as well as professional treatments. While you might see some improvement when using whitening strips, toothpaste, and rinses, they won’t offer you the consistent, reliable results that a professional whitening treatment can provide. When used incorrectly, over-the-counter products can even irritate your teeth and gums. The whitening gel used by a teeth bleaching dentist is highly concentrated and provider faster, more reliable results, and you also get the peace of mind in knowing that your treatment is performed under carefully monitored conditions.

How Is Teeth Whitening Performed?

Depending on the whitening system used by your dentist and your preferences, the procedure steps for teeth whitening can vary. Most in-office whitening treatments last approximately an hour. Here’s what you can expect during a standard teeth whitening treatment:

1. To prep your teeth for the whitening gel, your dentist will carefully examine and clean your teeth.
2. To expose your visible teeth, a small device called a cheek retractor is placed inside your mouth.
3. To shield your gums from the bleaching gel, a protective liquid is applied.
4. Bleaching gel is applied to your teeth. It is left in place for a determined amount of time. The dentist will keep track of the time. Several coatings may be applied depending on the whitening level desired.
5. We may choose to use a special light to enhance your results, but this depends on the whitening agent used.
6. Your dentist will check your teeth to understand how the whitening has progressed after each application of the bleaching gel.
7. Once the last round of bleaching gel has been applied, the cheek retractor is removed and your teeth are rinsed.
8. Your dentist will evaluate your whitening results. Based on the results, he or she will recommend future treatments or an at-home treatment kit.

Don’t go another day without feeling confident about your smile. Call our office today to learn about the benefits of teeth whitening in South Ocala.