What are my bleaching options? 

You want to whiten your teeth, but there are so many products out there. Have you wondered what your options for bleaching are? There are three main categories to talk about when it comes to whitening. These three options are over-the-counter whitening products, dentist made bleach trays and in-office whitening. 

Over-the-counter teeth whitening strips are good for people who have very mild stains, are not in a huge rush to get whiter, and are prone to sensitivity because the bleaching agent is fairly mild. For people with heavier staining, these strips may not be strong enough to be effective. 

For a more professional teeth whitening option, custom-fit bleach trays are a great choice. Custom bleach trays are soft clear trays made by your dentist that allow you to use some of the stronger levels of bleach. This process starts with making a set of impressions of your teeth which are used to fabricate your custom-fit trays. You then use your bleaching gel in the trays and wear them anywhere from an hour to overnight. The bleach used in these trays can come in a variety of strengths to suit your particular needs. Bleach trays are good for people with heavier or more difficult to remove stains, people who are prone to sensitivity, and people who want to get whiter faster. The beauty of bleach trays is that you control the time and frequency of your bleaching. If you become sensitive you can bleach less often or for a shorter amount of time. 

In-office bleaching is for people who want to reach their bleaching goals as quickly as possible. You may have heard of Zoom teeth whitening. This is one example of in-office bleaching. In-office bleaching can be delivered in a variety of ways, but what makes it special is the strength. Due to its strength, we supervise the placement of the gel and monitor your sensitivity as we do multiple rounds of bleaching. In-office whitening can remove stains more quickly and remove deeper, more challenging stains that other products cannot. The trade-off is a higher chance of tooth sensitivity.