What Happens During Your In-Office Teeth Whitening Session at Ace Dental of Bellmead

You won’t have to visit our office multiple times to get your brighter smile back. Usually, it only takes a single visit. That’s exactly the reason why patients go for in-office teeth whitening, especially when they have a big event lined up. Here’s what happens:

Consultation

As with any other dental treatment, we first talk about your concerns and then examine your mouth. An initial consultation gives us a good idea about the smile goals you wish to achieve.

Teeth cleaning

If plaque or tartar is present, we may recommend a professional cleaning before whitening to help the whitening gel contact the tooth surfaces more effectively.

No one wants blotchy results, and teeth cleaning beforehand helps avoid this.

Using a shade guide

A shade guide helps us determine the current shade of your teeth before we start with the treatment.

Protective measures for your mouth

Our Bellmead dentist places a tool called a retractor to expose the teeth that are visible when you smile. We also apply a resin as a gum barrier to keep your gums protected.

Applying a whitening gel

Now that your mouth is protected, we start applying a layer of whitening gel on the front surfaces of your teeth. We use professional-strength peroxide gels.

Our dentist then positions an LED light in front of your teeth, which activates the gel. About 15 minutes later, we remove the gel and reapply it.

This is done about 3 to 4 times until you get the tooth shade you want.

Final touches

Once you’re fully satisfied with your results, we remove the cheek retractor and gum barrier. You can then rinse your mouth thoroughly.

In the end, we record the final shade of your teeth to help you see how much improvement has occurred.

The treatment itself is quite comfortable. In fact, there’s much less risk of discomfort with in-office teeth whitening because your entire treatment is done by a professional. That’s a benefit you don’t get with store-bought kits.

You might have some sensitivity in your teeth afterward. This is normal after a whitening session. It subsides in a few days. Just make sure to avoid heavily pigmented, acidic, and extremely hot and cold foods/drinks during this time.