Categories: Blog

What Happens During a Professional Teeth Whitening?

We all know that a gorgeous, bright smile can do wonders for our self-esteem and the way other people perceive us; we always look our best when we’re happy or laughing. But stains on the teeth can make them dull and discolored, impacting that gorgeous grin and leaving you feeling self-conscious, or even hiding your smile entirely. Here at Knox Wellness Experience Knoxville, TN, we offer professional teeth whitening services that can help you achieve a stunning Hollywood smile in as little as one session.

What Happens During a Professional Teeth Whitening?

When you come into our office in Knoxville, TN, we’ll use the best professional-strength products to ensure that your smile comes out exactly how you want it. We use a special whitening agent on your teeth whilst the rest of your mouth is protected against irritation and we may also use a light that can speed up the process. The whole time, you’ll be seated in a comfy chair and will likely find the whole process quite relaxing!

Our treatment provides proven, predictable results that patients love. To understand more about teeth whitening in Knoxville TN and why it may be right for you, read on.

What Causes Discoloration on My Teeth?

Lifestyle

While tooth discoloration is a normal and natural part of life, and some people are just born with duller teeth than others, some lifestyle factors exacerbate the dulling or discoloring process. Things like smoking, drinking tea, coffee, red wine, and fizzy drinks, or eating richly colored foods like beetroot and blueberries can all stain the teeth.

To stop staining in its tracks, you could try quitting any of these things, but it can be hard and upsetting to give up the things you love (or nearly impossible – here’s looking at you, coffee). By whitening your teeth professionally, you get to keep enjoying your blueberries while also saying hello to a beautiful new smile.

Age, Your Past, and Oral Hygiene

Some more unusual factors, like trauma to the teeth or taking certain antibiotics during childhood, also contribute to yellowing teeth. A more obvious one is the buildup of plaque and tartar, which is why you should be seeing a dentist around every six months regardless of whether you’re getting your teeth whitened.

All that being said, teeth do just get duller and discolored with age. This is due to the combination of dentine, the layer of material under the tooth, getting more yellow over time, and enamel, the top layer on the teeth, thinning and wearing over the years. That’s why it’s so exciting that ways to safely whiten your teeth with the help of professionals have become available – so you can take back control over your smile.

Does Anything Happen Before Treatment?

Before we whiten your teeth, we’ll perform a check-up to make sure your teeth are healthy enough for whitening. If they’re not, we’ll have a chat about what your other options might be and if we can recommend any alternatives to our Knoxville teeth whitening services.

It’s also important that your teeth are clean before treatment. We don’t want to place any treatment on areas with decay, as this could be painful for you. We also want to make sure they’re free of any plaque or debris, as performing a whitening treatment over any buildup could make for an uneven result. The most important thing you can do in preparation is to continue to look after your teeth. Bonus points if you floss!

Is There a Recovery Period?

Not at all! Knoxville Teeth whitening is a non-surgical treatment that doesn’t require even a local anesthetic, meaning you’ll get out of the chair feeling right as rain as though it were a regular dentist checkup. We may advise against eating for a small while afterward and perhaps people with more sensitivity will want to avoid cold foods. But overall, patients can carry on with their days immediately.

How Many Sessions Will I Need To See Results?

Many patients find that their teeth are several shades whiter after just one session and don’t need to come back to our office. Others, however, may need several sessions to achieve optimal results. It will depend on the individual and how stained their teeth are, but we make sure everyone’s treatment is tailored to their specific cosmetic goals.

What Will the Results Look Like?

Our patients come away from treatment finding their teeth have become several shades whiter in a way that still looks natural. We’ll never whiten your teeth so that they’re blinding or “too white” – before you undergo treatment we’ll show you before and after photos so you have a good idea of just how natural the results will look.

How Long Do the Results Last?

The exact length of time depends on the individual and their teeth. Some people find the results fade after about 6 months, while others keep seeing them for up to 3 years. Lifestyle factors play a big part in this – if you continue to smoke or drink coffee or red wine, you may stain your teeth again quite quickly. If you are determined to maintain your results, then it’s suggested you try to quit the staining habits entirely or at least cutback.

Luckily you can always come back to Knox Wellness Experience Knoxville and talk about another session. We’d be happy to treat you again! And even though the length of results may vary, they’re still far longer-lasting than any at-home treatments.

What Are the Benefits of Getting My Teeth Whitened?

It’s long been said that a gorgeous smile is the key to confidence. Think about how beautiful people are when they smile – a good smile is the most noticeable thing on a person’s face! But yellowing or dull teeth can make one feel ashamed of their smile. No one should feel like they have to hide their smile or repress laughter because they’re afraid of showing their teeth.

With this treatment, our patients come away not only more self-assured, but excited to show their smiles to the world. They can once again laugh and talk uninhibited and have no problem giving a big grin to the camera for photos! Here at Knox Wellness Experience Knoxville, we love helping restore people’s confidence.

Yellow teeth is also often considered a sign of aging, so a brighter, whiter smile can truly make a person look younger! There are also a lot of special events in a person’s life that may call for a picture-perfect smile, such as a big birthday or wedding. A good smile can also earn a person respect and trust, so Knoxville teeth whitening is often a step people take before an important job interview.

Can’t I Just Whiten My Teeth at Home?

It may seem appealing to whiten your teeth using an over-the-counter product from the drugstore. You’ve probably seen Knoxville teeth whitening strips or at-home kits advertised on social media with temptingly low prices and “guaranteed” success rates. But often these methods range anywhere from useless to outright damaging for the teeth.

UV Whitening

UV teeth whitening involves first putting gel on your teeth and then a small light device in your mouth. These kits aren’t recommended by the American Dental Association as a safe method of Knoxville teeth whitening. Because you can buy so many things from overseas these days, it can also be hard to regulate how safe any kit might be. There’s also the issue of user error – without a professional to aid in the process, you could end up damaging your teeth or even burning your mouth.

Whitening Strips

These strips cover your teeth and, when you peel them off, create a whiter smile. But many of them contain hydrogen peroxide, which kills collagen in the teeth, and overall they can erode your teeth’s structure. Even if you’ve found the safest strips on the market, it’s very difficult to apply them evenly. Your smile may end up brighter on one side than the other!

Mouthwash or Toothpaste

These tend to fall more into the “useless” category of at-home treatments. The consensus is that while they’re not particularly harmful, they don’t actually do a whole lot! Toothpaste removes stains rather than lightening them, which means they’re not effective on deep, lasting stains that go deeper than the surface layer of the tooth. Mouthwashes don’t boast much evidence of effectiveness according to several studies. Importantly, without cosmetic specialists monitoring how you use these products, they can be easy to misuse and over or under-dose.

Home Bleaching Remedies

You may have also heard about techniques like baking soda or lemon juice to bleach teeth. We strongly advise you against this! These products are highly acidic and can quickly damage and decay your teeth. You’ll never see a dentist, doctor, or aesthetics provider recommending a DIY teeth bleaching method.

In short, it’s worth seeking professional help to achieve your dream smile. When you pay for expert advice and experience, you get the best results in a way that’s safe, comfortable, and effective.

Who Is a Good Candidate for This Treatment?

This treatment is great for anyone who has stained teeth and wants a brighter smile. It’s a treatment that extends to all ages, genders, and skin tones – it’s almost universally agreed upon that a bright smile suits everyone!

As mentioned above, we may determine during a checkup that your teeth or gums aren’t in the best shape for whitening. When there are preexisting issues in the mouth, we may recommend against treatment. Those who experience oral cancer, periodontal disease, chronic sensitivity in their mouth, gum infections, untreated cavities, or very damaged enamel may not be good candidates, as the treatment could irritate or worsen the condition.

People with translucent-looking teeth may find that whitening them only makes them more so. If we think this will be a problem for a candidate, we’ll flag it before treatment. Patients with crowns or veneers may find that these teeth don’t respond to whitening at all as the teeth aren’t real; they may need to look into new veneers altogether.

Schedule a Consultation Today

It’s true what they say – you’re never fully dressed without a smile! Everyone should be able to smile and laugh freely without worrying about how their teeth look. If you want to achieve the pearly whites that will let you beam with confidence, then professional Knoxville teeth whitening may be right for you. To learn more, schedule a consultation now with Knox Wellness Experience in Knoxville, TN.

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