Teeth Whitening

As you know, there are tons of whitening products on the market. From ‘paints' and ‘pens' to very expensive ‘light' or ‘laser' systems, some of these make promises that are unrealistic and even misleading. Because of this, we have we have invested a significant amount of time researching and testing some of the latest whitening methods. Based on Deep Bleaching, a system developed by Southern California dentist Rod Kurthy, we are excited to offer two techniques that we can confidently recommend which provide consistent, remarkable results with little to no tooth sensitivity.

Natural White (Nightly Use-At-Home System)

Starting with professional molds, custom trays are fabricated to keep the whitening gel against your teeth and seal out contaminants. The trays are used in conjunction with whitening gel and desensitizing swabs for four to six weeks to gently whiten your smile while you sleep. Typically, your teeth will whiten by several shades to reach a natural, uniform appearance.

Brilliant White (Accelerated Deep Whitening System)

Building on the Natural White foundation, custom trays are fabricated. An initial 40 minute in-office session uses an enhanced gel to condition the teeth for faster results. The trays are then used in conjunction with whitening gel and desensitizing swabs for two weeks while you sleep to continue the process. A final 60 minute in-office session skyrockets your color. An application of sealer helps to set and maintain your shade. For patients with darker teeth or, for those who just want more dramatic results, Brilliant White is what to choose.

Click Here for our Whitening Brochure

The Geeky Stuff...Here's some of the Science All methods of tooth whitening are very similar. A gel containing a form of peroxide breaks down to oxygen and water. The free oxygen generated attaches to stains and lifts them out of the teeth. The differences between techniques and overall results depend upon the aspects below. The concentration and stability of the Bleaching Gel; The main ingredient in whitening gel is peroxide which is inherently unstable to both temperature and light. One of the fastest ways to inactivate the gel is with heat. Did you know that the average temperature a package is exposed to while in transit with major shipping companies is 120 degrees? It's no wonder that many over the counter products as well as professional gels may have inconsistent results. Our gel is manufactured to rigid standards and sent directly from the manufacturer packed in insulated cold packs. They are transferred immediately to cold storage in the office and remain there until they are packaged for you. The amount of time that the gel is in contact with the teeth; Our whitening trays are handcrafted and feature a gingival seal and gel reservoirs. This means that more gel stays in contact with your teeth for a longer amount of time. In addition, your saliva is kept out thereby preventing dilution of the gel. Whether the tooth enamel allows the gel into the stains; This is called permeability. The pressure of the gel against the teeth is increased because the trays seal so well against the teeth. Some manufacturers of over-the-counter products lower the pH of their gel (making it acidic) allowing the acidity to increase permeability. Our gel, on the other hand, is pH buffered. We enhance permeability by pretreating your teeth and using a neutral gel because we feel that it is safer. Studies and Scientific Literature If you're a super-geek, you may be interested in looking at some of the current research. If so, pull up your suspenders and give these a gander. Once you're done taping up your glasses, you may want to get on PubMed and do additional searches. If you find anything of interest, please let us know. Clinical Evaluation of a combined Whitening Approach Using both in-office and take-home whitening in a combined approach provides predictable and enhanced results over the techniques by themselves. This is the basis of Deep Whitening and the core of our Brilliant White technique. Light Augments Tooth Whitening with Peroxide So what about those lights? This is one of the only studies that show any effectiveness of the whitening light. Unfortunately, it was financed by one of the companies which manufacture the light and has been somewhat controversial. To our knowledge, the results of this study have not been independently duplicated. Clinical Evaluation of a Novel Lamp and Gel This is another manufacturer study showing efficacy of their light system. We have not seen independent evidence to back this up. Vital Bleaching - What do lights add? This study concluded that the lights used in three systems were not responsible for the whitening effect, rather the gel catalyst increased the speed and effectiveness. Bleaching Efficacy Using Different Light Sources Internal bleaching was performed with several different lights and without a light source. The results showed no difference between them. Comparison of Three Different Light Systems This paper studied three different systems and combined the techniques both with and without a light. In the end, there was no statistical difference between the light and no-light results. Whitening Literature Review Acceleration by heat, light or laser may have an adverse effect on teeth and there is no final judgement of whether or not they work. Safety Study of High Hydrogen Peroxide Concentrations This paper concludes that even very high concentrations of whitening gel have no effect on tooth enamel. Moreover, any evidence of damage is likely attributed to non-buffered, acidic gels like you might find in some over-the-counter products. The Whitening Debate; JADA This JADA editorial shows how much controversy there is over this very topic.There is a general consensus that manufacturer studies are inherently biased. They are the only studies to date that I know of which show significant efficacy of the light when used for whitening. Until there is a comprehensive and independent review which shows otherwise, it would seem prudent to use a multiple visit combined approach for predictable whitening results.