I haven’t seen a dentist in 2 (or more) years. Is it OK for me to proceed today with teeth whitening?

No, we recommend seeing a dentist first before bleaching. After that amount of time of not seeing a dentist, many unfavorable conditions could exist in one’s mouth, and they might not even be aware of those problems. When in doubt, always see a dentist first. 

I have crowns (caps) or veneers (bonding) on my front teeth. What will this process do to them?

The bleaching will not change any of these restorations intrinsic (inside) color, however, it may remove some extrinsic (outside) stains. The procedure will not harm dental restorations. If one’s natural teeth are yellower than the restored teeth, then whitening may bring the natural teeth closer in shade to the restored teeth. If the restored teeth are yellower in color, then bleaching will only make the difference in shade greater between them and their naturally colored counterparts. In this case, one may want to bleach first, then have the restorations redone by their dentist to match the newly bleached color. This, however, can lead to expensive and extensive dental work, so again, consult a dentist first. 

I have a temporary crown (or temporary cap, bridge, or veneer) on my teeth. Can I do this process?

We recommend to wait until after the permanent restoration is placed before using our system. 

I have oral piercings or I have braces on my teeth (or a fixed wire retainer). Can I do this process?

If you are in active orthodontic treatment and have bands and/or brackets bonded or cemented to your teeth, please wait until after completion of treatment and all appliances have been removed before commencing any bleaching treatment. A lower tightly bonded lingual (tongue-side) wire retainer that was placed by an orthodontist after regular orthodontic treatment is fine to have in your mouth while bleaching is done. All oral piercings (tongue, cheeks, lips, or nose) must be removed prior to having any teeth whiting treatments done. If they are not easily removable, we recommend that our contractors not sell any whitening products or services to these individuals until the appliances are removed. 

Can I do this process if I have open holes (cavities) in my mouth that haven’t yet been filled by my dentist?

Again, the answer to this question is that these individuals need to be seen by their dentist first and have the condition permanently resolved prior to any form of teeth whitening. 

My dentist told me I have gum disease that he hasn’t treated yet. Can I do this?

The condition needs to be treated and under control by a dentist before any bleaching is considered; once under control and with the approval of one’s dentist, teeth whitening could then be done. 

Is the process I get from you today being performed by a dentist?

No, your stylists are not dentists or dental professionals. He or she has been trained and certified in the system and can assist you in the self-administration of our products and services, but will not render dental opinions, give dental advice, or otherwise pose as a dentist or practice dentistry. 

Is this the same type of bleaching gel that is used by my family dentist?

Yes, we use the same type of peroxide-based bleaching gels as a dentist, but the strength of the gels may vary. We do get the same or better results as a dentist in less time, however, depending on the type of treatment the dentist chooses to use. 

Do dentists use your products or procedures?

Yes, many dentists utilize the same gels, lights, and systems. They do, however, tend to charge significantly more for their use of these products. 

What causes teeth to discolor or become yellower?

The causes are many. The most common are natural aging and the prolonged consumption of staining agents such as tobacco, coffee, tea, red wine, dark-colored soda, and staining foods like mustard, tomato sauce, or blueberries. A good rule to go by is that if it will stain a white handkerchief or white t-shirt, then it may similarly stain your teeth. Other people may have a different type of staining that occurs when the permanent adult teeth are forming, typically at age 5 through 12. When children of this age group are exposed to excessive fluoride, tetracycline or other antibiotics, certain embedded and permanent stains or discolored tooth formations may occur. These types of “tooth-formation” stains do not respond well to any form of bleaching. These individuals should consult their dentist for other options, such as bonding, veneers, or crowns. 

Are there any side effects to having the process done?

Some people may feel a slight tingling sensation or have minor discomfort during or after a teeth- whitening session. A few may have white spots on their gums as well. These effects are transient and quickly dissipate within a few minutes or so. Most people report no discomfort or sensitivity at all during or after their treatment. Different people react in different ways to chemicals and treatments, and this holds true for Cosmetic Teeth Whitening procedures as well as bleaching products. We recommend that if a client is experiencing pain or discomfort during the bleaching process, they should discontinue the treatment immediately and consult their dentist as soon as possible as this may indicate an undiscovered or unknown problem that might be occurring in their mouths. 

How long before I can eat or drink anything after completing this process?

We recommend that one should avoid eating or drinking any stain-causing foods or beverages for at least 24 hours. If you need to drink these beverages during this time, use a straw to avoid a lengthy contact time with your teeth. 

How does the light differ from the smaller hand-held ones I’ve seen that come with some of the take home kits sold at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, or CVS stores?

For the most part, the light’s wavelength is approximately the same as ours, but the intensity of these small hand-held lights is much lower and therefore will not work as well or as fast. These lights also come with kits using carbamide peroxide, which does not react as well or as fast as hydrogen peroxide gels do with 

the addition of a light. The light in this case is more of a gimmick than an actual aid to bleaching, and can help cause the price of these take home kits to be higher than need be. 

I have dental insurance. Is the chairside light-assisted Cosmetic Teeth Whitening procedure covered by dental insurance?

No. We are not aware of any dental insurance that has a covered benefit for Cosmetic Teeth Whitening. 

Has the company or contractors, ever been sued by any of its bleaching clients?

No, we never have been sued. 

Do contractors carry professional liability (malpractice) insurance?

No. The reason for this is that to have malpractice insurance, one would need to be a licensed dentist or physician. You stylist will not “practice” any form of medical or dental procedures. We do, however, recommend that all salons purchase and carry simple inexpensive business liability insurance, just like any other business would. 

Is there any alcohol in the bleaching gels?

No, there is no alcohol in our bleaching gels. 

What if I get sensitivity after using this process or products?

It is our experience that even though it is unlikely that you will have any discomfort from our teeth whitening, if it does occur, we would recommend the use of SensodyneTM-type toothpaste be used after bleaching. You could also use over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, if you can take those products safely. 

What kind of results can I expect from your process?

Everyone’s teeth are different. We all have different body chemistry, dental health, genetics, etc. Most people will experience a 3-4 shades whiter difference with a 15-minute treatment, and 7-8 shades difference with a double (two back-to-back 15-minute regimens) treatment session. Overall, 98% of our clients are absolutely thrilled and ecstatic about their treatment results. The “WOW!” factor is huge. 

What makes your procedures and products superior to all other types of teeth whitening that is available today?

We use only the finest bleaching gels manufactured to our proprietary formula. We use a high intensity, cold blue visible spectrum light that puts off no heat to prevent tooth nerve inflammation. 

Is this system better than over-the-counter strips or whitening toothpastes?

If one considers speed of action as a primary desirable feature of a teeth whitening system, then the results obtained with our system are better than strips or so-called whitening toothpastes. The toothpastes available today have a very minor whitening potential as compared to our system. They only slightly lessen extrinsic, not intrinsic, stains. Strips will whiten teeth, but they take a month or more to complete treatment and have a known high occurrence of teeth sensitivity. 

What is the shelf life of the bleaching gels?

Our chairside gel has a 6-12 month shelf life if refrigerated. 

What do the different percentages of bleaching gels mean?

For example, a 36% carbamide peroxide gel eventually breaks down into a 10-12% hydrogen peroxide in the mouth. It is the eventual hydrogen peroxide concentration that matters because only in this form can it release the oxygen necessary to perform the actual chemical process of bleaching. 

Which bleaching gel works the best?

We feel that for fast and safe light-assisted chairside power bleaching, hydrogen peroxide works best. Chairside bleaching is fast because the light accelerates the process and hydrogen peroxide doesn’t need extra time to break down from a buffered form, like carbamide peroxide must do before it can release the oxygen to bleach the teeth. 

Carbamide peroxide is best for take home kits because it is more stable and has a longer shelf life. At home use is generally not a speedy process to begin with, so the extra time needed to break down in the mouth to a usable form is not as important as in chairside bleaching. Also, with take home kits, there will be more contact time of the gel to the teeth, so there will be plenty of time for carbamide to do its job. 

The part of my teeth near the gums isn’t as white as the rest of the teeth even after bleaching. Why is this?

The teeth usually have a seamless whitening transition zone from whiter near the biting surface of the tooth to less white near the gum line. This is normal and is an expected result because the tooth enamel is thinner near the gum line and will show through some of the tooth’s naturally yellower inner dentin layer. It is this slight transition that makes the tooth appear to be more natural and not just a monochrome “Chiclet” of a tooth, which looks very unnatural. 

I have small white spots on some of my front teeth. How will bleaching affect these spots?

It is normal that certain areas of a tooth that are decalcified will respond and whiten more rapidly than the surrounding tooth structure. The rest of the tooth eventually catches up with the spots and will become more uniform in color as one continues to bleach. 

Will this treatment fix my tetracycline stained teeth?

Tetracycline stained teeth are caused by the uptake of this antibiotic into the enamel while the tooth is newly forming at the ages of 5-12 years. The staining looks like there are grey to tan “banding” layers in the tooth. This type of staining is very difficult to correct with Cosmetic Teeth Whitening. We recommend that the customer see his or her dentist to have this staining treated by more extensive, aggressive bleaching or by covering the staining with the placement of veneers or crowns. 

I have splotchy teeth with mottled tan, brown, and white spots on them, especially the front ones. Will this process repair this?

No, this type of staining is known as fluorosis. It was caused by the uptake into the enamel of excessive amounts of fluoride while the customer’s permanent teeth were forming, again between 5-12 years of age. We recommend that the client seek the advice of their dentist to correct this problem. Cosmetic Teeth Whitening will not help excessively fluorosed teeth.