Are you looking for a whiter and brighter smile?
Dr. Ben Ahlbrecht and his dental care team offer professional teeth whitening in Indianapolis, IN. North Meridian Dental Excellence’s experts eliminate tough stains with in-office and at-home treatments. Moreover, they personalize treatment to fit each patient and their specific needs. Our cosmetic dentists in Indianapolis, Indiana, will ensure your comfort during treatment.
Benefits of Professional Tooth Whitening
Teeth whitening treatment brightens teeth, improves tooth health, and is long-lasting. Whitening teeth also reverses the effects of aging on teeth and can help improve your confidence. Brightening your smile improves your teeth’ aesthetics and improves oral health. Patients receiving our treatment are often motivated to maintain their smiles by brushing, flossing, and regular dental checkups.
Professional whitening carries many benefits compared to over-the-counter solutions. The only way you can get the strongest whitening products is through your dentist office. Drugstore whitening solutions aren’t as strong, so you must use them more often to get the same results. This increases your chances of sensitivity, particularly because those products don’t have the sensitivity protection that professional products do.
Over-the-counter whitening treatments aren’t custom-made for your smile. Companies design these products to fit the largest swath of the population possible. If they’re too big, the bleaching agent comes into contact with your gum tissue, causing sensitivity. If they’re too small, you deal with splotchy and uneven coverage.
What Causes Discolored Teeth?
Tooth discoloration is something everyone will experience at some point. One main cause of discoloration is the aging process. The bright white enamel layer on the outside of our teeth wears down over the years, exposing more of the off-white dentin layer underneath.
Poor oral hygiene impacts both the structure and aesthetics of your smile. When you aren’t brushing and flossing regularly, bacteria and food debris build up on the surface of your teeth, creating plaque and tartar. Plaque starts as a film on the teeth, hardening the longer it goes without disruption or cleaning. When you clean, your teeth turn yellow and brown, with stains remaining.
Your diet and lifestyle habits influence the color of your teeth. Things like coffee, strawberries, red wine, and black tea all contain things that stain the surface of your teeth. The more you consume these things, the more discoloration is present. This is true with smoking or chewing tobacco, too. Nicotine and tartar create yellow and brown stains on your teeth.
Lastly, trauma can change your tooth color. If the blood flow is disrupted to your teeth, it can make your tooth “dead,” appearing darker or gray. Sometimes, our teeth respond to trauma by increasingly producing dentin to help with the damage. This layer is an off-white color, becoming more prominent in your smile.
Tooth Whitening Options
At North Meridian Dental Excellence, we provide a range of cosmetic solutions to enhance the appearance of a patient’s teeth. These solutions ensure that patients with sensitive teeth feel comfortable. Learn about our in-office and at-home options:
In-Office Teeth Whitening
In-office whitening uses bleaching gel and a laser for fast and effective results. Dr. Ahlbrecht will clean the teeth and place a barrier between the teeth and gums to prevent gum irritation. The bleaching gel is then applied to teeth and activated with a laser. This process will be repeated several times until you receive the desired shade. Patients attending special events such as weddings, birthdays, or graduations can rest easy knowing that this option offers a whiter smile in no time.
At-Home Teeth Whitening
Dr. Ahlbrecht provides patients with custom trays and gel in the comfort of their own homes. He will take dental impressions of teeth to ensure the trays fit comfortably. In addition, Dr. Ahlbrecht will supply you with prescription-strength whitening gel. At home, insert the gel into the whitening trays, then place the trays over your teeth. The trays will be worn for 15 to 60 minutes daily for two weeks.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dentistry service. Learn more by reading the answers to these commonly asked questions.
How long after teeth whitening will I see results?
Patients tend to begin to see results 24 hours after whitening. The results will gradually progress over a couple of days. At-home whitening kits may take longer because they contain a lower concentration of bleaching product.
Can I eat after teeth whitening?
After teeth whitening, patients should wait to eat colored foods or drinks. After the whitening procedure, teeth are opened and more porous than normal. Patients should avoid colored foods for 48 hours to prevent staining. While you can eat and drink staining things after this time, they will impact your smile. The more you consume things like coffee or strawberries, the quicker your teeth will discolor again.
Can I brush my teeth after the whitening treatment?
Brushing and flossing your teeth after whitening treatment is perfectly okay. However, your teeth and gums may be extra sensitive, so it is important to be careful when brushing or flossing.
How long do teeth stay white after whitening?
Teeth whitening effects may last anywhere from 6 months to 2 years, depending on the patient. Diet and oral care greatly impact the lifespan of your whitening effects.
What should I avoid after teeth whitening?
After teeth whitening, we recommend that you avoid any dark liquids, including coffee, wine, and soda. We also recommend avoiding particularly hot or cold foods, as your teeth may be sensitive to temperature changes.
Can teeth whitening damage teeth?
Teeth whitening does not damage tooth enamel. Teeth whitening targets the tooth’s dentin, which controls the color of your teeth. When applied properly and by a professional, whitening solutions do not damage any part of your teeth.
Schedule a Dental Exam Today
Looking for a bright solution? See if teeth whitening is right for you. Call 317.204.7134 or request a consultation with one of our dentists.