Ruston In-Office and Take-Home Professional Whitening Systems
What actually makes teeth look darker?
Teeth darken in two different ways, and each one responds to whitening differently.
Extrinsic stain sits on the outside of the enamel. Coffee, black tea, red wine, cola and tobacco leave color on the surface. A cleaning removes some of it, and whitening gel works right where the rest of it sits.
Intrinsic discoloration comes from inside the tooth. Enamel thins with age and the naturally yellower dentin underneath starts to show through. A tooth that took a knock, or that has had a root canal, can darken on its own. Some medicines taken during childhood leave grey or banded color built into the tooth. Intrinsic color can lighten, but it moves more slowly, less evenly, and some of it does not respond to bleaching at all. When that is the case we will say so, and talk about porcelain veneers instead.
Does teeth whitening work on crowns, veneers and fillings?
No — whitening gel lightens natural tooth structure only, so porcelain and composite keep the shade they were made in.
If you have a porcelain crown or a white composite filling on a front tooth, whitening the teeth around it can leave that restoration looking darker by comparison, even though nothing about it changed. The usual approach is to whiten first, let the color settle, then match new restorations to the lighter shade. So if you are planning crown, veneer or filling work on a visible tooth, tell us before we start.
In-office whitening or take-home whitening?
In-office and take-home whitening both use professional-strength gel; the difference is who applies it and over how long.
- In-office whitening is done in a single appointment. Your gums and lips are isolated so the gel stays on the teeth, and nothing is left for you to manage at home.
- Take-home whitening usually means trays fitted to your own teeth, so the gel stays against the enamel instead of leaking onto the gums. You whiten at home over a series of days, at your own pace.
- Both together is a common pattern: start in the chair, then keep it up at home.
What about sensitivity?
Whitening gel can make teeth temporarily sensitive, sometimes as short, sharp twinges. It usually settles within a day or two of finishing, and on its own it is not a sign that the tooth has been damaged.
It is also manageable. Sensitivity can be reduced by using a lower-strength gel, shortening each session, leaving more days between sessions, and using a desensitizing toothpaste before and during treatment. Tell us if your teeth already react to cold, because we would adjust the plan from the start rather than after your first uncomfortable night.
Pain from an untreated cavity, a cracked filling or an exposed root surface is not whitening sensitivity, and gel can make it worse. That is a large part of why we examine first.
Why not just use drugstore strips?
Strips can lighten surface stain, and for some people they are enough. What they cannot do is fit you.
A strip is one shape for every mouth. It sits flat against the front of the teeth, so it misses the curves between them and often stops short of the canines, which is why strip results can look patchy at the edges. Professional whitening is fitted to your teeth, at a strength chosen for your enamel and your sensitivity. It also starts with an exam, to check that what you are seeing is stain and not decay, a failing filling or a tooth darkening from the inside. No whitening gel treats those.
Talk to us before you whiten
If you are thinking about whitening, or you have tried strips and were not happy with the result, call North Harbor Dentistry at (253) 851-4025. We will look at what is causing the color, tell you honestly whether whitening can help, and go through your options with Drs. Matt and Justine Priess.