Our teeth whitening treatment can give you the brilliant, dazzling smile you’ve always wanted. Teeth whitening from a cosmetic dentist can be performed either at our Mission Valley practice or given to patients as a take-home kit. In either case, our whitening treatment is completely safe and will powerfully brighten your smile.With both in-office and take-home options available, teeth whitening at Libby Dental is designed for your convenience, comfort, and overall goals. Depending on the extent of discoloration observed, professional teeth whitening can lighten your tooth color by several shades at once! Our whitening kits are also custom-made to accommodate your bite, reducing the risk of uncomfortable or ill-fitting bleaching trays irritating your gums.
What Is Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening is a quick and easy process that begins with a single office visit. When you come in, ask Dr. Libby about our available whitening options and he can get you started. With our in-office bleaching, your teeth can be brightened in as little as one hour. Or if you would like our take-home kit, teeth whitening will occur over multiple days at your own convenience. The frequency of your teeth whitening regimen is completely customized to your goals.
Professional whitening from a qualified dentist is one of the most simple and effective treatment options in cosmetic dentistry! Teeth bleaching can help get rid of the internal discoloration that brushing and flossing cannot, as daily oral hygiene typically only removes stains on the surface of the enamel. Our teeth whitening systems offer the ability to lighten deep staining left behind by coffee, wine, smoking, medications, or a general lack of dental hygiene.
With our friendly team of dental professionals, teeth whitening is easy at Libby Dental. Call and schedule a visit with Dr. Libby to brighten your smile!
What are the Benefits of Teeth Whitening?
Dental-grade teeth whitening is one of the most simple solutions to completely transform your appearance. If your teeth are being held back by years of staining, customized teeth bleaching can give you a whiter and more luminous smile without any anesthesia, invasiveness, or downtime. The benefits of teeth whitening include:
- Non-invasive treatment that doesn’t require anesthesia
- Can undergo whitening at your own convenience
- Results noticeable after approximately one hour with in-office bleaching
- Ability to reach deeper discoloration penetrating the inner tooth
Teeth whitening is commonly incorporated into a Smile Makeover, full mouth rehabilitation, or “gummy smile” reduction, among other cosmetic dentistry treatments. Our dental team can listen to your goals and formulate an ideal treatment plan based on the types of results you wish to obtain.
How Did My Teeth Change Color?
There are many ways in which a person’s teeth can become discolored. Here are a few of the most common culprits:
- Food and drink containing intense pigments have chromogens that can attach to the enamel of your teeth, staining them in unwanted colors. The most common drinks that cause staining include red wine, tea, and coffee.
- Tobacco contains tar and nicotine, both of which discolor your teeth. Tar is a black substance that will darken your teeth, and nicotine becomes a yellowish pigment over time as it is exposed to oxygen.
- Aging will naturally cause your teeth to darken and stain. As the white enamel layer of your teeth deteriorates, the darker dentin layer will begin to show through.
- Some medications will cause your teeth to become discolored. Young children are the most susceptible to this form of teeth discoloration.
- Tooth trauma caused by an injury will cause that tooth to form extra layers of dentin under your enamel, darkening your smile.
There are many reasons why someone should have their teeth whitened. That said, there are a few types of discoloration that professional bleaching cannot remove. Dr. Libby and our team would be happy to examine your teeth to help you determine whether teeth whitening or another solution, such as porcelain veneers, is the most effective treatment to give you a whiter smile. For more severe staining, a porcelain veneer may be a more effective and natural-looking restoration to mask discoloration.
Is Teeth Whitening Right for Me?
If you have any imperfections that make you cringe at your reflection in the mirror, cover your mouth when laughing, or refuse to show your teeth when smiling, let us help you. Dr. Libby and the entire team here at Libby Dental understand the emotional weight that dental issues can carry. Our goal is to have you out of the dentist’s chair, feeling brand new with a smile you can’t wipe off your face! While every patient has their own reasons for teeth whitening, here are a few common reasons why someone might want to whiten their teeth:
- Are you planning on getting a cap, veneer, dental crown, or filling? If you’re expecting to receive any of these dental restorations, then perhaps teeth whitening could benefit you. These types of repairs do not change color and are made to match the tone of your teeth as they appear. By having your teeth whitened beforehand, your repairs will appear brighter along with the rest of your smile!
- Are you self-conscious about the color of teeth? If you’re preparing for an important event such as a wedding, graduation, or family pictures, then perhaps it’s time to whiten your teeth. A picture can last a lifetime, so if you’re worried about the tone of your teeth, we can give you a brighter smile in a single office visit!
- Are you quitting tobacco? If you have recently quit smoking or want to quit, perhaps whitening your smile can be a healthy reward. The black tar and yellowish nicotine found within tobacco products can quickly darken and yellow your teeth. Schedule a visit with us, and you can have your teeth whitened in a single office visit!
- Are you not seeing results from whitening strips and toothpastes? These over-the-counter options are significantly less concentrated than our take-home or chairside whitening options and oftentimes will only remove surface stains. By coming into our office, we can offer quick and easy ADA-approved teeth whitening!
With teeth whitening treatments, we can create a bright smile — even after significant staining or discoloration. We want every patient to love their smile, and we will work with you to achieve the perfect smile you’ve always wanted.
Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening vs. Professional Teeth Whitening
If you’ve ever used over-the-counter whitening toothpastes, rinses, or strips, then you’re likely aware that these products often do not create a visible difference in the shade of your teeth. Any results achieved with over-the-counter whitening are often marginal, and may take weeks or even months to become noticeable. The bleaching agents in drugstore products are usually not powerful enough to reach deep internal staining beyond the enamel or at the core of the tooth. Plus, over-the-counter whitestrips tend to fit poorly over the teeth and may irritate the gum tissue.
In contrast, professional teeth whitening from a trained dentist — whether undertaken at home or in the office — has the ability to brighten your teeth by several shades at once. Our team also customizes treatment according to your needs, allowing us to refine your whitening regimen according to your sensitivity levels and the severity of discoloration experienced. At our Mission Valley office, a more radiant smile can even be evident immediately after your appointment. For this reason, professional teeth bleaching is often an excellent choice to rejuvenate your appearance before a special occasion or event.
Chairside Bleaching
Our in-office bleaching is a two part procedure that will be over in a matter of minutes. This is by far the fastest and easiest option that we provide.
We begin by applying a protecting gel to your gums then bleaching concentrate to your teeth. We then use a concentrated amount of dental bleaching agent applied directly to your teeth. This concentration breaks down any stains, allowing your bright teeth to shine through.
Take-Home Whitening
San Diego Dentistry offers a take-home kit that is suitable for some patients requesting light color change at their own convenience. These kits include a teeth whitening gel, custom fit tray, and instructions. For best results, follow the instructions given by Dr. Libby and his team.
Patient Results
How Much Does Teeth Whitening Cost?
Teeth whitening can be one of the fastest and most cost-effective cosmetic dentistry treatments to brighten your smile. With the ability to transform teeth by several shades almost immediately, teeth whitening is non-surgical, non-invasive, and doesn’t require any anesthesia. Thanks to the nature of teeth whitening, treatment is usually more economical than other cosmetic and restorative procedures. Depending on the unique details of your dental plan, the cost of teeth whitening is calculated based on:
- The extent of discoloration experienced
- The method of teeth bleaching chosen
- The number of sessions/teeth whitening trays necessary to achieve your goals
Rather than undergoing teeth whitening alone, implementing the teeth bleaching procedure into other cosmetic dentistry treatments can more comprehensively help San Diego patients enhance the shape, size, color, and symmetry, and appearance of their teeth. We accept dental financing for qualified patients, which can help bring the cost of teeth whitening into budget if you’d rather pay for your treatment plan in smaller installments.
Are There Any Teeth Whitening Alternatives?
Yes! For some patients, teeth bleaching is not an ideal treatment to whiten teeth. This technique is not successful for all types of teeth, such as brown or gray teeth. Teeth whitening is also ineffective in treating tetracycline stains, which refers to an antibiotic medication known to leave deep staining in teeth. If you struggle with discoloration that’s too severe to be improved with teeth whitening, Dr. Libby and our team also offer treatment with porcelain veneers — a thin porcelain shell placed over the front of a tooth to conceal stains, gaps, chips, and other aesthetic flaws. While some types of teeth staining do not respond to whitening, veneers can hide discoloration by color-matching the affected tooth to the rest of your smile. Don’t hesitate to ask Dr. Libby about your concerns so he can develop the best treatment plan for your needs.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
Learn the facts before you arrive. Here are some of our most frequently asked questions and answers. If you have any further questions, feel free to call and ask at (619) 276-6884.
Are there any side effects from teeth whitening?
Yes, tooth sensitivity can sometimes occur if the bleaching gel reaches the soft dentin in your teeth. This can be caused by an overuse of teeth whiteners or deteriorated enamel. The pain is commonly temporary and can be treated using tooth-sensitive toothpaste before and after your treatment.
If you’re unsure or worried about your tooth sensitivity, be sure to bring that up with Dr. Libby.
Will dental bleach work for any type of teeth?
Simply put, no. It is important to talk with Dr. Libby before deciding to whiten your teeth because some of our methods are not meant for all teeth. Brown and gray teeth do not respond to whitening in the way that yellowing teeth do. Discoloration also caused by medicine or injury is not solved by whitening. Schedule a visit with Libby Dental to find out whether teeth whitening can be a good fit for you.
How can I prepare for my teeth whitening?
First, you should continue brushing your teeth twice a day. Try using a tooth-sensitive toothpaste a few weeks prior to, during, and after teeth whitening. It’s common for your teeth to be sensitive after whitening, but this should only be temporary. Try avoiding coffee, red wine, and teas before and after your treatment because these will only further stain your teeth.
Finally, if you are nervous or curious, do a little research. It’s interesting to know how the process works, and you can follow along with us as we run through the steps for your teeth whitening.
