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Tollgate
Orthodontics provides teeth whitening and teeth bleaching products to
patients in Providence, Coventry, Cranston, East Greenwich, Johnston,
North Kingstown, Warwick, West Warwick, & Kent County, RI.
Options for Whitening Your Not-So-Pearly Whites
One-Hour, BriteSmile Tooth Whitening
At-Home Bleaching Products
Over-the-Counter Products for Teeth Whitening
Comparing Options
Concluding Remarks and Suggestions
Options for Whitening Your Not-So-Pearly Whites
Your pearly whites not so pearly anymore? The good news is that you don't
have to live with a smile you're less than happy with. Almost everyone wants
whiter teeth these days. Like wearing a fine outfit or accessory, having
your teeth whitened makes you feel good. Teeth whitening can restore your
teeth to their earlier brightness. But given the number of options and the
cost and time involved with each one, how do you know which one is right
for you?
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One-Hour, BriteSmile Teeth Whitening
The BriteSmile teeth whitening system offers the most advanced state-of-the-art
technology to whiten teeth and enormously enhance personal appearance and
aesthetics. In clinical studies, BriteSmile has been able to achieve over
8+ shades whiter, on average. Your results, of course, will vary as your
starting point may be different and everyone's teeth respond a little differently,
but in virtually all cases, the results are dramatic. Ultimately, the goal
will be to achieve your optimum, natural whiteness. During the consultation,
we will go over what you personally can expect for your individual situation.
Severe discoloration can be treated and yield good results in many instances.
However, the more difficult cases can sometimes require a more lengthy treatment
than the standard one-hour treatment. During the BriteSmile tooth whitening
procedure, a protective gel is applied to your gums and a bleaching agent
is applied to your teeth. Then, a special "blue light" is used to enhance
and accelerate the action of the bleaching agent. The BriteSmile whitening
process usually takes just one hour in our office, unless your teeth are
very dark or very stained. The cost of a BriteSmile Professional Teeth Whitening
treatment varies depending on the severity of the staining and the number
of sessions required, but is generally around $600.
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At-Home Bleaching Products (provided by our office for use at home)
We can also provide you with a tooth-whitening bleaching system that you
can use at home. At-home bleaching products typically come in a gel form
that contains carbamide peroxide; the gel is placed in a custom-fitted mouth
guard, created from a mold of your teeth. Depending on the bleaching product
you select, the guard is worn either twice a day for 30 minutes per session
or overnight -- usually for a couple of weeks. The length of time for bleaching
can range from one week to one month depending on how much whitening you
need. This bleaching procedure typically costs in the vicinity of $350 and
whitens the teeth four to seven shades.
Results are generally good with the at-home gel/tray bleaching systems, however, some tray users never achieve even a few shades brighter, as it is difficult to complete the regimen - night after night sleeping with trays full of bleaching gel, often accompanied by sensitivity and gum irritation. For these patients, BriteSmile is a tremendous value by comparison.
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Over-the-Counter Products for Teeth Whitening
Over-the-counter products are less expensive but will not brighten your teeth as much as professional products. Procter & Gamble Co.'s Whitestrips, for example, sell for about $40, and Colgate-Palmolive Co.'s Simply White, for about $15. The American Dental Association says the products are safe; the range of whitening power they have, though, is usually just a shade or two.
Whitening toothpastes can help remove surface stains through the action of mild abrasives. Some whitening toothpastes have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal, but unlike bleaches, don't change the color of your teeth.
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Comparing Options
Top research scientists and clinical professors from the prestigious Forsythe Institute, New York University, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey confirmed the safety and efficacy of 8+ shades average improvement with BriteSmile.
As the chart below indicates, BriteSmile gives you a faster, more convenient and superior experience than all other options.
If you would like to see some of the great results, click on the BriteSmile Difference.
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Concluding Remarks and Suggestions
We offer the following suggestions if you're interested in brightening your smile:
- Choose a dentist who is qualified and experienced. Not all dentists do bleaching. And, not all dentists offer the complete spectrum of bleaching procedures.
- Have your teeth evaluated to determine whether you're a good candidate for bleaching. It's not for everyone. In some cases of serious discoloration and pitted teeth, for example, veneers may be more appropriate than bleaching.
- Crowns, bridges, bonding, and fillings do not bleach, so you may need to replace some dental work (dental work which may be visible when you smile) to make it blend with the new color of your bleached teeth.
- People with receding gums appear most likely to experience sensitivity with home whitening treatments, such as bleaching trays, Crest Whitestrips, and Colgate-Palmolive Co.'s Simply White. The sensitivity usually goes away once the bleaching is stopped, though.
- Problems such as sensitivity in the teeth and gums associated with receding gum lines is rarely a complaint with the Brite Smile tooth whitening process, since the application of the bleaching agent to the teeth is carefully controlled by the dentist.
- Bleaching isn't permanent. You may need a touch-up every several years. If you smoke, drink a lot of coffee, tea, or red wine you may need the touch-up more often.
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To Schedule a Complimentary Examination Click Here
or call 401-739-3900
500 Tollgate Road, Warwick, RI 02886 • 401.739.3900 fax 401.739.8626
e-mail: lhughes@tollgateorthodontics.com www.TollgateOrthodontics.com
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