Teeth Whitening in Chesterfield, MO

Painless. Affordable. Quick. Easy.

Whitening teeth is a very quick and easy way to really enhance your natural smile.  The custom “tray” method works very well for most of our patients.

How does it work?

Teeth whitening is amazingly simple and easy. There are several different ways to whiten teeth, but what people refer to as “bleach trays” are one of the fastest and least expensive ways to do it.

Here are the basics of how it works:

Dr. Mahlin and the team at Clarkson Dental Group will make an impression of your teeth by custom fabricating your whitening custom trays and verifying that the whitening trays are a perfect fit to your teeth.  This will ensure you can wear the trays comfortably and will also prevent any whitening gel from contacting your gum tissues or tooth roots.  The custom whitening trays can be fabricated in a 24-hour turnaround time.

About the whitening solution:

The whitening solution we use is a gel.  It contains no BLEACH.  It is a carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide solution that bubbles the stain out of the pores in your enamel, causing your teeth to whiten. For a healthy, whiter smile, Philips Zoom DayWhite 9.5% Hydrogen Peroxide helps patients achieve their whiter smile with a short daily wear time. You will be given 2-4 tubes of 9.5% strength whitening solution (vs over-the-counter Crest White Strips HP percentage of 55%). 

When can I expect to see results?

Dr. Mahlin and the team at Clarkson Dental Group with follow up with you 2 weeks after you begin your whitening treatment.  At this appointment, we will track your whitening results.  For most of our patients, after 2 weeks, we will discontinue the usage of the whitening applications.  If the patient chooses, they may want to whiten for an additional time. 

Should I expect sensitivity or damage to my teeth?

All the whitening products used at Clarkson Dental Group have desensitizing factors incorporated into the solution, to minimize any discomfort.  ACP for maximum sensitivity relief has been found to virtually eliminate post-treatment sensitivity. 

Before whitening consult with our office regarding the proper use of the whitening gel and application to ensure its safe use.  When used properly, whitening gel does not cause permanent or irreversible damage to your teeth. 

Does whitening work for everyone?

Patients with a yellow hue to their enamel will whiten best.  Teeth with darker shades (ie grey hues) or white hypercalcifications (spots) are not recommended to whiten. 

Teeth that have a history of trauma (teeth that are internally discolored from tetracycline antibiotics, and all dental materials such as bonding, fillings or crowns) will NOT whiten. Patients with generalized gingival recession or hyper-sensitive teeth are NOT good candidates.

Discuss with the team at Clarkson Dental Group prior to starting if you are a good candidate for whitening, as additional dental work may need to be replaced if it no longer matches the previous color of the teeth.

Additionally, if you have tried whitening products in the past and have not attained the results you are happy with, we may recommend other treatment options to reach your desired goal.  Also, we recommend pregnant mothers not to whiten their teeth until after breastfeeding is complete.    

Do you already have trays from Clarkson Dental Group?

Whitening tray instructions and how to use them.

**These instructions are for Clarkson Dental Group whitening patients only.  Do not use these instructions if you have been given whitening gel elsewhere, as the solution may be different and hence require different instructions. **

• Make sure to brush your teeth before you whiten.
• The best time to whiten is after you have had your professional teeth cleaning, as this is when it is most effective.
• How much whitening gel should I use?
• Whiten only the front 8 teeth in each tray. Molar teeth generally do not whiten very well and are typically not visible.  We will have you not whiten them. 
• Put a drop of whitening solution in the center of each of the front 8 tooth spaces of the tray. 
• Place the tray in your mouth in front of a mirror. The small drop in the center should spread evenly over the front of your tooth.  Remember, you do not need a lot of the whitening gel.  We will provide you with an example of the actual amount to use. 
• If any gel escapes your custom whitening try and reach your gum tissue, simply take a Q-tip and wipe off this excess. You do not want the whitening gel to sit on your tissues, as it can cause a painful ulceration afterward.

How long do I wear the whitening trays?

• Wear the trays for 30-90 minutes.
• The efficacy of the whitening gel is extremely fast, so wearing the trays longer than 90 minutes is not beneficial.  Do not wear the gel overnight.
• The whitening gel trays can be worn daily, for as many days as desired until the results are achieved.

Where can I get more whitening gel?

Additional tubes of whitening gel may be purchased at any time from the office, without an appointment required.

Call to Learn More About Professional Teeth Whitening

Tooth whitening is a quick, affordable, noninvasive dental treatment that can whiten your natural tooth enamel. It is an ideal way to enhance the look of your smile. Join many of our happy patients who are thrilled with their brighter, whiter, more youthful smiles. Call today to make an appointment!