Whitening teeth has come a long way.  First, to bleach teeth means to leech oxygen into the tooth surface.  This diffuses light and thus makes the tooth’s coloration lighter and more brilliant.  Using carbamide peroxide, hydrogen peroxide or a combination of the two agents does this.  Secondly, we used to be very concerned about the harmful effects of bleaching products on the attachment fibers of the gum tissue.  I really see very few harmful effects when proper procedures are followed. About the only ill effect we observe is a white chemical irritation of the tissue when high peroxide concentrations are used during in-office procedures.  This effect easily reverses and causes no long-term problems.  Third, the new bleaching products cause much less sensitivity than those products we used 10 years ago. 

With this in mind, I can tell you that many of the over-the-counter bleaching products do not measure up to the success we will help you get.  In most offices, the bleaching procedures begin with the fabrication of a tray to hold the bleaching product against the tooth.  I find the greatest success occurs when we use a combination of two different products in-office using a curing light to activate the materials followed by an at-home regimen of once or twice a day bleaching.  Its really very easy and most people leave with tremendous results, which only get better following their at-home bleaching. 

There are many ways to bleach your teeth. Much research has been done, and many companies have produced special lights, lasers, or chemical treatments to bleach the teeth. Clinical Research Associates (CRA) in their recent evaluation of bleaching techniques, indicates that virtually all the approaches are equally effective. However, rapid onset bleaching, with special lights, seems to have a quicker loss of bleaching coloration, than a slower approach. Therefore, you may end up with a quick lightening of the tooth only to find that you loose it.

We believe in a two stage approach to bleaching. All of our bleaching treatments begin with an in-house procedure followed by an at home application. We believe that a product called opalescence, which has received high marks from reality magazine, who is an independent evaluator of dental products. Opalescence has been receiving high marks for the last five years.

For more information, contact our office: 434-293-8944. Our bleaching specialists will be more than happy to schedule a consultation appointment.

Page last modified 7/25/2002
Jeffery E. Hodges, DDS
2250 Old Ivy Road Suite #3
Charlottesville, Va. 22903
(434) 293-8944