The next 48 hours are important in enhancing and maximizing your whitening results for a long lasting, bright and healthy smile.
Spotting: Color Spotting on the teeth may occur after In-Office Whitening due to temporary dehydration of the teeth. This should diminish within a few days after treatment. The whitening process will continue for 48 hours after treatment.
Sensitivity: During the first 24 hours after whitening treatment, some patients can experience some tooth sensitivity or pain. This is normal and is usually mild, but if you are experiencing significant sensitivity, call our office for guidance. Normally, tooth sensitivity or pain following a treatment subsides within 24 hours, but in rare cases can persist for longer periods of time. You may wish to take an over-the-counter pain reliever (one you would use for a headache). Some patients experience sensitivity such as “zingers” or thermal sensitivity 12 to 24 hours after whitening. Brushing your teeth with sensitive toothpaste, such as Sensodyne, or Fluoridex Daily Defense Sensitivity Relief toothpaste for the weeks following the procedure is strongly recommended.
Now that your teeth are significantly whiter, there are a few guidelines to help maintain the look of your new smile. The teeth have a protective layer called the protein pellicle. This layer contains the surface dental stains and is removed during whitening treatments. It takes 24-48 hours for the barrier to fully develop again.
For the next 48 hours post treatment, we recommend avoiding dark staining substances, such as:
If your daily homecare involves the use of Peridex or any Chlorhexidine, please wait 48 hours before continuing the usage of this product.
Additional ways to maintain your smile:
Practice good oral hygiene by tooth brushing, flossing, and tongue cleaning. We will assist you in selecting the products to maintain not only a white smile, but a healthy one as well!
Store any remaining whitening gel in the refrigerator for later touch ups. Remove gel from fridge immediately prior to use.
The KöR Long-Term Maintenance program involves simple, periodic whitening at home. Patients do not have to undergo the entire whitening protocol again because they have not built up the same amount of staining debris as they had before the first time they whitened (which for most people is a lifetime). Instead, whitening during maintenance only needs to remove staining debris that has accumulated since they last whitened.
-Whiten 1 night(s) a month to 1 night every other month indefinitely (6-12 uses per year) depending on how much relapse you are seeing
-If you whitened your teeth at home for 2 weeks, with or without subsequent in office whitening, you were provided sufficient gel for 1 year of maintenance. If you whitened your teeth for 4 weeks, please purchase 1 double pack of gel with our reception team.
Most patients can maintain their white smile by whitening once per month at home. However, some patients with more stubborn conditions (such as Tetracycline staining) may require more of a customized maintenance program, based on their specific case and initial prescribed whitening protocol.
In some cases, the KöR Accelerated Maintenance program is a recommended step for patients to maintain the results of their initial prescribed whitening protocol. Regression is common in whitening, but particularly prevalent in difficult cases, such as staining resulting from Tetracycline and/or Fluorosis. Accelerated maintenance, immediately following the active phase of whitening, helps to minimize whitening regression
After the patient has completed their initial prescribed treatment plan, the KöR Accelerated Maintenance would be implemented, which is essentially a gradual reduction of whitening occurring between the initial prescribed everyday whitening protocol and the eventual one night per month maintenance program.
YEAR 1:
After Accelerated Maintenance, the color is as set as it will ever be, and patients continue with a standard Long- Term Maintenance protocol:
You have been provided with 1 double pack of maintenance gel. You will need to purchase 4 additional double packs of refill gel with our reception team to provide maintenance gel for 1 year
YEAR 2+:
1 double pack of refill gel will cover maintenance for a year.
You have been provided with 1 double pack of maintenance gel. You will need to purchase 4 additional double packs of refill gel with our reception team to provide maintenance gel for 1 year. Subsequently, 1 double pack of refill gel will cover maintenance for a year.
After Accelerated Maintenance, the color is as set as it will ever be, and patients continue with a standard Long- Term Maintenance protocol:
While an overwhelming selection of over-the-counter teeth whitening products is readily available for purchase at stores or online, it's imperative to keep in mind that the healthiest and most effective methods of care are those professionally supervised by your dentist. With a teeth whitening procedure provided by our office, we can safely, comfortably, and effectively transform your smile by up to several shades in a short amount of time.
Teeth whitening offers a simple and non-invasive way to whiten and brighten your smile. Whitening products contain various strengths of biologically safe hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide that act as bleaching agents on stained or discolored dental enamel. By breaking the stains into smaller pieces, these bleaching agents make the color less concentrated and your teeth brighter.
Every patient is different, and despite the fact that many people experience no sensitivity or pain with a professional teeth whitening, there are some that do. Although considered a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure, some temporary discomfort during and following the procedure may ensue. It helps to stick to room temperature beverages for a few days following a teeth whitening. You can also take over-the-counter pain medication as you would for a headache. If you have a history of sensitive teeth, we may select a gentler formulation of whitening products or an alternative procedure.
Teeth whitening only works on natural teeth. The fact that whiteners do not affect the color of existing dental fillings, veneers, bonding, crowns, or bridges on the front teeth remains an important consideration when choosing the best cosmetic option in care.
As a rule, the healthiest and most effective methods of teeth whitening are the ones managed and supervised by your dentist. You can count on our office to provide the most effective, safest, and satisfying professional-strength options to whiten, brighten, and lighten your smile! Stay away from over-the-counter products, which may be overly abrasive or put the health of your teeth and the surrounding soft tissues at risk. While these products may work when healthy teeth and gums are present, they're often ineffective or problematic when sensitive teeth, exposed roots, cavities, broken fillings, cracked teeth, or loose dental work are the case.
How long your teeth whitening lasts depends on your lifestyle. Your eating, drinking, and smoking habits can have a significant impact on maintaining your result. Of course, the best way to ensure that your smile stays healthy and beautiful is a good daily oral healthcare regimen, along with regular dental checkups and cleanings.
It's essential to keep in mind that as a cosmetic dental procedure, a teeth whitening may not be covered by your insurance plan. We understand the financial considerations involved in care and do our best to help you get the treatment you need without any additional stress or delay. We offer several payment options and financing plans to make things easier.
At the office of Smiles Elevated, we want every patient to enjoy the benefits of a smile that is as beautiful as it is healthy. In addition to offering a comprehensive range of advanced services to keep your smile in tip-top health, we also provide leading-edge cosmetic solutions to transform less-than-perfect-looking teeth into ones that dazzle.
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