Teeth Whitening | Park City, Salt Lake City, Midway & Heber, Utah
Teeth whitening products are used to brighten teeth that have been stained, darkened, or discolored by food, tobacco use, age or injury. There are a variety of in-office and take-home teeth whitening products on the market that reduce or eliminate such stains. Dr. Paul Peterson of Advanced Cosmetic Surgery offers professional teeth whitening to patients in Park City, Salt Lake City, Heber City, Midway and the surrounding areas.
What kinds of teeth whitening options are available?
You have probably seen dozens of teeth whitening products in stores, ranging from rinses to toothpastes to gels. These weak bleaching agents have contact with your teeth for only a few minutes. The weaker strength and short contact time gives them little ability to whiten.
Custom-made trays are a better alternative, providing you use them as directed by your dentist. Unfortunately, many people cannot adhere to the recommended procedure and end up with less than optimal results.
The safest and most effective whitening agents are available through dentists. Because of these solutions’ higher peroxide concentrations, they should be used only as instructed or administered by a qualified dentist.
BriteSmile is one of the most commonly used teeth whitening solutions. This process involves using a curing light to activate the solution and is done during an in-office visit. Stubborn stains or discolorations may improve by following up with take-home trays that you use at night, for about two weeks.
Whitening Toothpaste
There is an amazing number of over-the-counter products in Park City, Salt Lake City, Midway and Heber, Utah, that claim to provide teeth whitening. There are toothpastes, rinses, gels, and even foods. The best that can be said of most of these products is they probably won’t hurt anything. It is, however, unlikely to make much change in the actual whiteness of your teeth.
One negative result that we have seen in our office is a dramatic increase in patients with sensitive teeth, many times as a result of regular use of toothpaste that claims to provide teeth whitening. When looking for a toothpaste, teeth whitening types are usually fine as long as they are ADA-approved and have fluoride in them. If you find that your teeth have become sensitive to temperature or sweets, try a de-sensitizing toothpaste for a few weeks (such as Crest Sensitive, Sensodyne, or Colgate Pro-Relief).
Call to Schedule an Appointment Today – (435) 658-0678
Over the Counter Teeth Whitening Strips
Teeth whitening strips (such as Crest White Strips) do seem to have some ability to whiten your teeth. They are not a huge cost (usually $40 – $60), and you can decide how often to use them. It is typical to see a few shades of teeth whitening. That being said, some patients find them a nuisance to use, and you are unlikely to get the teeth whitening results they show in their marketing material.
Professional Teeth Whitening in Utah
Teeth Whitening Trays
Teeth whitening trays are usually custom-made trays that are made by the dentist. You place teeth whitening gel in the trays and place them in your mouth. The cost is around $350. They are better than teeth whitening strips because you are using a tray to get the whitening material against the teeth for extended periods of time. There is also a choice of concentrations of gel that can be selected.
At Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry, we now offer a great product that can be used in short 20 min increments, in comparison to a couple of hours or overnight. Historically, the main disadvantage of the teeth whitening trays is that it is difficult for many patients to wear them enough to get the most effect from it, and most patients do not wear them enough to see the best results. It can also be an ideal solution for a patient with already sensitive teeth, as the rate of the teeth whitening process can be controlled. There is also a big difference in how the trays are made. If the dentist goes to the trouble of creating an effect reservoir for the gel material and a good seal around the teeth, they will be more comfortable and more effective.
Call Today for More Information
BriteSmile/Zoom II
This patient is an example of internal teeth whitening. She found Dr. Peterson after being told by more than one dentist that her tooth couldn’t be whitened and that she would have to have a crown. In just three visits, we were able to give her the result she had hoped for!
At Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry, we have been using BriteSmile in our office for 10 years. In fact, we were the first office to offer BriteSmile in Utah! We still believe it is the gold standard for teeth whitening. There have been over 1 million procedures done so far with BriteSmile, and it is the system that has the best and longest studies on the effectiveness and safety of their teeth whitening system. The cost for BriteSmile is $500.
With the BriteSmile teeth whitening system, a protective barrier is placed over the gums. The gel is then placed on the teeth and is light activated. The gel is replaced and the teeth whitening is done in four 20 minute sessions, all in one appointment. The entire procedure takes about an hour and a half, or just about long enough to watch a movie.
There is some sensitivity (about 25% of our patients) that lasts approximately 24 hours.
There are a lot of teeth whitening systems, and they all make great claims. BriteSmile has a way of getting the most from their whitening gel. Some systems use 35 – 50% Hydrogen Peroxide solutions while BriteSmile uses a 15% solution. However, the BriteSmile teeth whitening system is able to get exceptional results in spite of (or possibly because of) this. With a lower concentration of the solution and no heat from the light, we see much less tooth sensitivity.
The main competitor to BriteSmile has been Zoom! which is also an in-office teeth whitening system. They now are the same company, and we offer the most up to date teeth whitening system in our office.
View More ZOOM! Before & After Cases
KÖR Whitening
For those patients that want to get the absolute whitest teeth they can get without investing in porcelain veneers, there is deep bleaching. Deep bleaching is a combination of in-office teeth whitening and take home trays. The trays are custom-made by a special laboratory to give the most precise fit possible.
There are other advances in the system, such as refrigerating the material from point of manufacture until it is given to the patient. This maximizes the effectiveness of the teeth whitening material. The extra time, effort and attention to detail makes the cost of this system higher. It also makes the results far more significant than any other teeth whitening system. The cost is $1200 and involves several weeks of wearing trays at night and one office visit. This will whiten even the toughest cases, and also has the added benefit of the patient having trays to use to whiten the teeth from time to time if they start to darken.
View Results & Learn More About The KÖR Teeth Whitening System
Single Tooth Whitening
In some instances, such as when a tooth has had a root canal and turned dark, a single tooth can be whitened. This is done using a process of internal bleaching, and we have seen amazing results with the products and techniques that Dr. Peterson uses.
Call to Schedule an Appointment Today – (435) 658-0678
Are there any alternatives to teeth whitening?
Yes. Porcelain veneers and prepless veneers, can be chosen in any color you like. This is an excellent way to achieve, with certainty, the whiteness you want.
If you have stained or yellowed teeth and would like a brighter smile, please contact us at Advanced Dentistry for a personal consultation on teeth whitening in Park City or Salt Lake City, Utah.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
How many shades whiter can I expect from whitening treatment? »
You and your teeth are unique. While the degree of improvement can be up to 10 shades lighter from a single visit, many factors affect how much your teeth can be whitened. Some medications darken teeth, and your natural enamel color, stains from coffee, red wine, berries, or tobacco may limit the amount of improvement possible. Some colors in teeth are harder to whiten than others.
Is teeth whitening painful? »
Generally, teeth whitening is painless for most people. Some will have enough discomfort for the first 24 hours to need to take a few Advil. Very rarely will someone have more pain than that. Anti-sensitivity toothpaste generally relieves any discomfort. Dr. Peterson can administer a stronger anti-sensitivity agent, if that occurs.
How Long Does Teeth Whitening Take? »
Dr. Peterson applies four rounds of light activated gel, each over a 20-minute period. Altogether, your procedure will take about 90 minutes.
Does Dr. Peterson Offer Laser Teeth Whitening? »
No. At Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry we have the technology to perform laser enhanced whitening, however Dr. Peterson prefers BriteSmile/Zoom!2 because he has seen the best results with this system for his patients. They are able to get the most activation out of their material with the lowest concentrations using a visible light to activate the material.
Learn More About Zoom! Teeth Whitening
Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry proudly provides Park City, Salt Lake City, Midway, Heber, Duchesne, Vernal, UT and the surrounding areas with advanced teeth whitening services. Call today for your consultation at (435) 658-0678 or complete a Contact Form here!
