Have you ever whitened your teeth? Most of us that are concerned with the way our teeth look have at least purchased a whitening toothpaste. You may not see much of a noticeable difference, so perhaps you opt for one of the over-the-counter whitening kits you can purchase at the drugstore. Unfortunately, many of these methods that seem like they’ll save you time and money, actually end up a waste. If you don’t like the idea of sitting in a dentist’s chair to get a whitening treatment, there is an option in between – professional at-home whitening. Northern Chicago dentist, Dr. Brent Engelberg, offers answers to some frequently asked question about the various types of teeth whitening.

Teeth Whitening FAQs

Q1: How long does at-home whitening take?

A1: At-home whitening takes around three weeks to achieve full results. The reason that many patients prefer at-home whitening to in-office bleaching is control and touch-ups. Once you are provided with your customized whitening trays, the professional bleaching gel used for at-home whitening can be re-ordered through your dentist for a reasonable price. You can keep you’re your teeth perpetually white with this method, by doing touch-ups whenever it fits into your schedule.

Q2: Does everyone have to use the same strength of whitening gel?

A2. Opalescence ® is at-home whitening treatment where the strength is customized to your level of discoloration and tooth sensitivity. Opalescence is infused with fluoride. Not only does this strengthen tooth enamel, but it also helps with the tooth sensitivity that many patients report from certain methods of teeth whitening.

Q3. What does in-office whitening entail?

A3. Zoom! ® and Boost ® in-office teeth whitening both rely on a special light to help activate the bleaching gel. A thorough dental cleaning will be recommended just prior to this sort of treatment. In less than two hours, bleaching gel and a special laser, along with the expertise of your dentist, will penetrate stubborn stains on teeth for noticeable results. Fluoride treatment is applied at the end of the process to remineralize tooth enamel. This reduces instances of sensitivity that many people report.

Q4: Can I get results just as good as in-office or at-home whitening if I just buy an over-the-counter kit at the drugstore?

A4: Individual results with teeth whitening almost always vary, but it’s unlikely that you’ll get the quality of results from an over-the-counter kit as you would from whitening treatments that your dentist recommends and assists you with.

Teeth Whitening in Northern Chicago

To schedule an appointment for a teeth whitening consultation, call our 60061 dentist office at 847-259-8030. We are happy to serve patients in Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Vernon Hills, Lincolnshire, Libertyville, Skokie, Evanston, Palatine, Schaumburg, Elk Grove Village, Rolling Meadows, Northwest Chicago Suburbs, and Northern Chicago Suburbs.