KOR Teeth Whitening Alexandria

In-Office Teeth Whitening in Alexandria

Having a beautiful smile may be easier than you think. Many people achieve brighter, cleaner looking teeth of with our simple bleaching procedure.

How does whitening work and why sometimes does it not work?

Refrigeration

Achieving predictable results require applying refrigerated, high-potency gels, in specific application protocol.

Whitening gel must be continuously refrigerated from manufacturer to our office and at you home storage facility to work properly. Heat decreases gel potency as it allows the gel to breakdown pre-maturely.  Peroxide based whitening gels are designed to be unstable. Their instability allows them to break down quickly when placed in a warm environment as in the mouth.  It is the by-products of the gel breakdown that whitens teeth.  A problem with gel’s chemical instability is that all whitening gels start degenerating immediately after manufacture if not kept under constant refrigeration.

Furthermore, hydrogen ions are produced when non-refrigerated whitening products break down and degrade during storage and shipping.  As hydrogen ions are acidic, whitening gels become more and more acidic as they break down, resulting in greater sensitivity and pain when wearing the gel-filled trays.

Constant refrigeration stops breakdown of whitening gels until the gel in ready for use.  Refrigeration also eliminates the need for chemical stabilizers which can increase sensitivity.

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Tray Design

In addition to keeping the whiten gel refrigerated, tray design is important. To under why this is so, it is helpful to understand how whitening works.

Intrinsic tooth color results from large natural pigment and stain molecules trapped within the micro-structure of teeth. The larger these molecules are, the more chromophores they contain, and the darker the teeth appear.

All whitening agents used by dentists breakdown to form hydrogen peroxide which further breaks down to water, oxygen, and numerous radicals and byproducts known as “bleaching factors”.  It is the bleaching factors that lighten teeth.

Efficient tooth whitening results a high percentage of free radicals are produced rather than just oxygen and water and when the free radicals are allowed extended time to diffuse thoroughly into the micro-structure of teeth.

In conventional whitening trays, the gel only remains active for 25-35 minutes due to rapid contamination by saliva.

Saliva and sulcular fluid contain an abundance of the anti-oxidant enzyme peroxidase which quickly degrades the ability of the gel to work.

In our office, we use KöR-Seal™ trays which are designed to seal both saliva and sulcular fluid out of the whitening trays. These trays, in combination with KöR Whitening’s continuously refrigerated whitening gel provide 6 to 10 hours of whitening activity resulting in a more thorough cleansing of debris between enamel rods resulting in amazing whiteness.

What are the details of teeth whitening?

It’s safe, quick and economical. Just let us know at any appointment if you would like brighter teeth.

Tooth whitening begins by constructing trays that are customized to fit your teeth. The construction of these trays require only a day or two. We provide you with a hydrogen peroxide gel that you place into the clear trays. During a few hours of wear per day, the gel slowly breaks down and releases agents that remove stains from your enamel without altering tooth structure or existing dental work in any way. When your teeth reach the desired brightness, only occasional treatment is needed to maintain your new whiter tooth color.

Whitening can be used to correct tooth discoloration caused by staining, aging, or chemical damage to teeth. Using the latest in bleaching technology, we can offer a safe method for creating a beautiful brilliant smile. In cases of extreme tooth discoloration, crowns or veneers may be the only choice, but because of the low cost of whitening it is nearly always our first approach.

How is teeth whitening done?

An impression is taken to make a custom fitted tray or mouth-guard used to hold the whitening gel against the teeth. The material is used each night for about 3-4 hours for a week or two. At the end of this time, your teeth will be significant whiter. In some cases, the change is nothing short of brilliant. For confidence in appearance, bleaching technology allows us to promise improvements in yellowing, aging or stained teeth. For very severely stained teeth, crowns or porcelain veneers may be more appropriate.

Considerations for Teeth Whitening

Over-the-counter bleaching agents are available for purchase at drug stores and pharmacies. These products rarely have the same effectiveness as those provided by a dental office because most of the success of the bleach agent results from well-fitting trays. It is the trays that hold the whitening agent in close and even proximity to the teeth. OTC products rely on some type of non-custom tray that cannot hold the whitening agent on your teeth and way from your gums. Since the whitening agent is caustic, these products can cause harm to the gums and soft tissue. In addition, tooth whitening needs monitoring. On occasion, the concentration of the whitening agent needs to be adjusted and/or the trays need to be modified in order for the whitening to be successful and the procedure completed pain- free.