Teeth Whitening – Boerne, TX
Achieve a Brighter Smile While at Home
Whether you’ve tried to eliminate stains with one of the countless store-bought whitening products on the market or one of the many do-it-yourself trends being promoted by social media influencers, you’re likely unhappy with the result you achieved. At Boerne Dental Center, we want you to feel good about the way you look, which is why we make it easy with take-home professional teeth whitening kits. We invite you to call our office to schedule a consultation to determine how we can target your discoloration and have you seeing a brighter smile in no time.
Who is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
The only way to know if you are a good candidate for teeth whitening is to schedule a consultation with a member of our team. During this visit, we will evaluate the cause of your tooth stains, which can be the result of aging, certain medications, consuming dark-colored beverages and foods, or even smoking. We will determine the type of stains that you have (i.e., intrinsic, extrinsic, or age-related) and create a treatment plan that is designed to target these areas of discoloration, leaving you with a whiter, brighter smile.
Before we begin, though, we will need to determine if you have any existing oral health problems, like dental decay or gum disease. If you do, we will need to treat these issues before moving forward with teeth whitening.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Our team at Boerne Dental Center consists of two talented cosmetic dentists who will build a plan that uses professional take-home whitening trays and high-grade bleaching gel. When used correctly, you will see a whiter set of teeth in a matter of weeks.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
We know you value your time, which is why we provide take-home whitening kits. Using the NiteWhite & DayWhite systems, we will take impressions of your smile so that you receive customized whitening trays to use at home. Applying the appropriate amount of bleaching gel to these trays, you will wear them for a certain amount of time overnight as well as during the day. Within a few weeks, you should expect to see noticeable results that leave you feeling more confident in your appearance.
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
When it comes to maintaining your brighter smile, you’ll want to make sure you do everything you can to prolong your results. You can do this by:
- Keeping up with your oral hygiene routine at home. Make sure to brush twice a day, floss at least once, and rinse accordingly.
- Limit your consumption of darkly pigmented foods and beverages (i.e., coffee, tea, soda, red wine, curry, berries, etc.).
- Use a straw if you must drink something that could easily stain your teeth, as it minimizes the amount of contact between the liquid and your teeth.
- Maintain regular dental checkups and cleanings with our dental team.
- Ask about touch-ups or additional bleaching gel if you notice you are running low and would like to maintain a whiter smile for longer.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
What’s the Difference Between Professional and Store-Bought Teeth Whitening?
There are whitening kits that can be bought over the counter, but they’re not the same as kits provided by a dentist. For one thing, they aren’t customized; the trays they come with won’t be made with your specific smile in mind. On top of that, the bleaching gel in an over-the-counter kit is more diluted than the gel in a professional kit, so it isn’t as strong.
It’s also important to note that one of the benefits of a professional whitening kit is that you will only receive it once your dentist has thoroughly examined your mouth. That way, you can rest assured that the health of your teeth and gums has been taken into account for the whitening process and that any dental issues have been taken care of.
In general, professional whitening is the safer and more effective option for your smile, and it can significantly improve the brightness of your grin in less time than over-the-counter methods.
Does Teeth Whitening Work on Dental Crowns?
While professional teeth whitening is an excellent choice for getting rid of stains on and under your enamel, it does not work on dental crowns. If anything, the whitening gel could cause problems by weakening the adhesive keeping the crown attached to your tooth.
When you ask our team about having teeth whitening performed, please let us know about any dental crowns you currently have so that we can account for them when planning your treatment. If you are unhappy with a discolored dental crown (or would like a restoration that matches the rest of your smile after whitening has been performed), we can replace it with a new one.
Is Teeth Whitening Safe?
Professional take-home teeth whitening kits are considered very safe. This is thanks to the fact that they are provided by trained dental experts. Furthermore, the customized trays are designed to ensure that the bleaching gel only comes in contact with your teeth; you won’t have to worry about it inadvertently spreading to your gums or getting swallowed by mistake. If you have any concerns about teeth whitening, don’t hesitate to let us know before we begin the process.
Does Teeth Whitening Qualify for FSA?
An FSA (Flexible Spending Account) can potentially be used to help pay for a wide range of medical and dental services. Sadly, this usually does not include teeth whitening because it is not considered to be a medically necessary service.
That being said, you can use your FSA to indirectly help the results of teeth whitening last longer. Typically, routine dental checkups and cleanings do qualify for FSA coverage, and these services can help you keep your smile looking its best.