Teeth Whitening

Professional In-Office Whitening

Professional whitening is a process where Dr DiGiulio, a Bend dentist, manages your tooth whitening process. She does this by helping you decide what type of whitening is best for you, and then either administers the process directly in her office, or provides a prescription to you for self-administering at-home.

The three types of professional teeth whitening systems Dr DiGiulo may suggest, when visiting her dental office in Bend, are light or laser-enhanced in-office whitening, non-light in-office whitening, or custom-at-home-tray system. For an in-office whitening treatment, Dr DiGiulio, a Bend cosmetic dentist, will expertly apply the prescription strength whitening gel directly on your teeth and, depending on the system being used, may or may not utilize an energy source like light or laser to enhance the whitening power of the peroxide gel. Another service Dr DiGiulio may offer is fitting you for a custom home whitening tray. These powerful whitening options are only available through your dentist or dental professional. For a consultation in Dr Digiulio’s Bend dental office call 541.389.2885

Teeth Whitening Procedure

What Steps Are Involved With In-Office Whitening?

Although different in-office whitening systems can vary slightly from product to product, there are common practices that you will experience when you see Dr DiGiulio for in-office whitening.

The first thing that will happen when you receive in-office teeth whitening, at her Bend dental office, is that Dr DiGiulio will need to establish your baseline tooth color/hue/shade. This gives Dr DiGiulio an idea of exactly how stained your teeth are, and how deep the stains are into your teeth. Dr DiGiulio has an assortment of colored tabs that will be compared against your teeth. This allows Dr DiGiulio to record precisely how stained your teeth are when you came in, and define the effectiveness of the teeth whitening procedure based on the number of shades your teeth improve by. Dr DiGiulio also likes to take a picture of your mouth as a means of visually capturing the transformation from stained to whitened teeth.

After a baseline is established, Dr DiGiulio, an adept Bend cosmetic dentist , will cover your lips and gums so that the peroxide gel does not touch sensitive oral soft tissue. Next, a barrier material in the form of a liquid is applied to the gums and then dried with a curing light. This is done protect the gums from the high concentration peroxide. It is essential that all the soft tissue of the mouth are protected to avoid irritation. Finally, a whitening gel is applied to your teeth by Dr DiGiulio. Some systems use a light source, such as a UV whitening lamp, designed to accentuate the whitening process.[1] For a consultation in Dr DiGiulio’s Bend dental office call 541.389.2885

For light-assisted procedures, a lighted energy source and is focused directly on the teeth. This light activates the gel and the whitening process is initiated. This is usually done in 3 to 4 sessions, with each session lasting anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, once again depending on the system used. At the end of each session, the whitening gel is removed from the teeth and a fresh coat of gel is reapplied. This is done because most whitening gels contain hydrogen peroxide which is highly reactive, meaning it works quickly.  The entire process of in-office teeth whitening usually takes about 60 minutes to 2 hours from start to finish. For in-office procedures that do not use a light or laser source, the steps are almost identical. For a consultation with Dr DiGiulio, a Bend dentist, office call 541.389.2885

[1] Ontiveros JC, Paravina R, Ward MT. Clinical Evaluation of a Chairside Whitening Lamp and Bleaching Efficacy. Journal of Dental Research 87(Special Issue A): 1081, 2008

Teeth Whitening Costs

What Is The Cost of In-Office Whitening?

One benefit of in-office bleaching is most of Dr DiGiulio’s patients can have one treatment, in her Bend dental office, and achieve optimal results. This means that patients only have to pay for one treatment. While this is generally the most expensive option for whitening teeth, the results are immediate and often dramatic. The procedure fees for in-office whitening vary by dentists and can range from $199-$750 dollars. One of the reasons the price range varies so much is that some dentists include additional services with their whitening procedure, thus offering a more  inclusive treatment. A consultation with Dr DiGiulio is the best way to find out how much in-office whitening will cost for your particular level of staining, and how many treatments will be necessary. If you would like to see a dentist in Bend Oregon for any Whitening procedure, please call our dental office in Bend, Oregon.

Professionally supervised and dispensed products such as at-home whitening trays with gel, can be less expensive but take longer to achieve peak results. With fees ranging from $99 to $399 dollars, patients can have a custom tray fitted by Dr DiGiulio, which they will wear when convenient or while sleeping for approximately one-to-two weeks. While this method can ultimately achieve the same results as energy assisted in-office bleaching, the results are not immediate. For a consultation in Dr DiGiulio’s Bend dental office call 541.389.2885

Teeth Whitening Results

The Results From In-Office Bleaching

There is a reason that many high profile individuals use an in-office bleaching system, the results can be immediate and dramatic. By working with Dr DiGiulio, a Bend Cosmetic Dentist, you will be able to determine exactly how white you want your teeth. Clinical studies have demonstrated that in one office visit, the average result is up to 8 shades lighter[1]. These results can last anywhere from six months to as long as two years with the use of professional maintenance products such as toothpastes, rinses, and at-home/ between-visit bleaching kits. Lifestyle, diet and genetics will also affect how long whitening will last before re-treatment is recommended. Dr DiGiulio will provide you with your best options. For a consultation in Dr DiGiulio’s Bend dental office call 541.389.2885

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

The number of treatments required will depend upon the individualized treatment plan Dr DiGiuio designs for you, and your particular level of staining. Some stains are deep, or caused by antibiotics given to patients while they were young and their teeth were still forming. These stains can be more stubborn to get out and will need Dr DiGiulio’s studied eye to achieve the most favorable results. For most of Dr DiGiulio’s patients, however, whether due to drinking staining beverages such as coffee or red wine, smoking cigarettes, or due to age, will be able to dramatically whiten their teeth with in a single visit. [2] For a consultation with Dr DiGiulio, a Bend Or Dentist, call 541.389.2885