How Professional Laser Teeth Whitening Works

Posted on: 20 May 2022

Not satisfied with the color of your teeth and want to do something about it? If so, you should meet with a cosmetic dentist about having your teeth professionally whitened. Here is how a laser whitening treatment works.

Consultation

The process starts with getting a consultation with your dentist. They need to make sure that you are a good candidate for getting teeth whitening since it's possible that you may have discoloration that cannot be treated by whitening. The dentist can even photograph your teeth and simulate what it would look like to make them several shades whiter to get a better idea of what they will look like.

Cleaning 

It is important to get your teeth cleaned and polished before you have any professional whitening treatment done to them. This is to make sure that there is no plaque and tartar on the surface or beneath the gum line, which can interfere with the whitening process.

Preparation

The teeth whitening process can be done in a single day, and it will involve some prep work before the whitening laser can be applied to your teeth. Your dentist will place a small amount of petroleum jelly on your gums, which protects them from any whitening agent and from getting too dry as your mouth is held open.

A mouth spreader is then placed to keep your lips far away from the tooth's surface. A protective barrier is then put on your gums to protect them from the whitening agents. 

Whitening

A special peroxide gel is applied to the surface of the teeth, which will need to sit on your teeth for several minutes for it to be effective. The dentist will then shine a special laser onto your teeth that will activate the whitening agents in the peroxide gel and change the color of your teeth. The results will happen very quickly, and you'll even be able to see the color of your teeth and determine if you are happy with it. If you want your teeth to be whiter, you can continue repeating the whitening process by applying more gel and exposing it to the laser once again.

After Care 

Be aware that your teeth are going to be sensitive to certain foods that can cause stains immediately after the procedure. You'll want to stay away from coffee, fruit juices, chocolate, and other dark foods for a little while. Your dentist will let you know when it is safe to consume those foods again based on the whitening procedure they performed. 

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