Teeth Whitening – Canonsburg, PA

Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?

It honestly doesn’t take much to qualify for modern teeth whitening. So long as you have decent oral health, most teens and adults can receive the treatment. That said, teeth whitening does tend to benefit some patients more than others.

Ideal teeth whitening candidates are those with extrinsic tooth stains. Indeed, treatment is most effective when a patient’s discolored grin stems from food and drinks. The same can’t be said for people with intrinsic tooth stains – those beneath the enamel. Of course, whitening can still help such folks feel more confident in social settings.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

We’ll outline several types of teeth whitening at your consultation visit. The first is a take-home kit, which would brighten your smile on a flexible schedule. Option two is an in-office treatment supervised by Dr. Raj himself. Lastly, the third choice is a whitening procedure for traumatized teeth.

In the end, the whitening method you choose will impact your treatment timeline. Just know that each one promises comparable results.

Take-Home KöR Teeth Whitening

If you prefer a gradual approach, consider our KöR take-home teeth whitening kit. This treatment lets you brighten your smile from the comfort of your home, all on your own time. You’d just need to wear gel-infused bleaching trays for a few hours each day over two weeks. Once that time is up, you’ll see your smile looks about six to eight shades lighter than before.

Notably, our take-home kits are distinct from store-bought kinds. They’re much more effective and don’t cause unwanted side effects.

In-Office Zoom!® Professional Teeth Whitening

Patients who want fast results should try our in-office Zoom! ® whitening treatment. Unlike the KöR take-home kit, this procedure is handled by Dr. Raj himself at our practice. It works by using a hydrogen peroxide gel that greatly lightens your smile’s dentin and enamel layers. When the gel is exposed to a mercury halide light, it makes your grin much whiter and brighter than before.

Overall, Zoom!® professional teeth whitening takes about an hour. You can learn whether it suits you at your consultation visit.

Whitening for Traumatized Teeth

Teeth are sometimes discolored from pulp damage and prior root canals. In such cases, we perform internal bleaching to whiten the affected tooth.

Internal bleaching applies whitening gel inside your traumatized tooth. It starts with Dr. Raj reaching the tooth’s innards by making a small hole in its back. When that’s done, he removes debris, rinses the interior, and adds a cement that keeps whitening gel from leaking into your tooth roots. Only after those steps will he place the bleaching solution and seal your tooth’s pulp chamber. (Until the desired shade is achieved, Dr. Raj can repeat this procedure every few days.)

Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile

To help your teeth whitening results last a while, perform the following steps:

• Look After Your Smile – By brushing your teeth twice daily and flossing once daily, you’ll prevent plaque from causing stains.
• Avoid Stain Agents – As best you can, limit your intake of foods and drinks with stain agents. Notable examples include berries, coffee, red wine, tomato sauce, etc.
• Eat More Dairy – If you eat white dairy products, you’ll strengthen your enamel and avoid dyes that stain teeth.
• Get Treatment Touch-ups – Before your whitening results fade, see your dentist for touch-ups.