Teeth Whitening - Long Island City, NY
Interested in having whiter teeth?
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dentistry procedure which bleaches the teeth whiter by using hydrogen peroxide to oxidize extrinsic and intrinsic stains.
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Here at 1311 Jackson Ave Dental, we offer two types of teeth whitening from KoR: Professional take home kit and Take home kit WITH in-office sessions.
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Our Teeth Whitening Options
Our cosmetic dentists are proud to be exclusive providers for KoR teeth whitening, which is the most effective bleaching system on the market. We've two treatment options available for you to choose from.
KoR Take Home Kit
Our take home whitening kit utilizes customized teeth bleaching trays where you whiten while you sleep for 14 nights.
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Afterwards you can save the customized trays and purchase refills to periodically maintain the whiteness of your dentition.
KoR Take Home + In Office
If you like the take home result but you want the teeth to be even whiter, you can add on an in office bleaching session. The in-office teeth whitening consists of 3x 20 minute back-to-back sessions.
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Note: You MUST complete the take home treatment prior to starting the in-office. Instructions explicitly state that if you don't see results with the at home, you should not start the in-office sessions.
Before & After
These are before and after results from using KoR teeth whitening.
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Disclaimer: The results will vary but most people typically get at least 1-2 shades whiter when compared to before starting their bleaching treatment.
When you may benefit from whitening
Bleaching your teeth may be a cosmetic procedure but some notable benefits are improved self esteem and improved aesthetics. There is really nothing wrong with having whiter and healthier dentition!
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Here is a visual guide that our dentists in Long island City have put together for you. It shows various conditions for when you may want to consider teeth whitening.
What to expect
The teeth whitening process with our dentists will differ depending on if you're doing just the take home or the take home plus the in-office.
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Note: In-office treatment requires take home to be completed first.
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The first step is to make customized whitening trays. Below is an example of what the custom bleaching trays look like.
Take Home Kit: 15 mins but 14 days of whitening
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Take impressions (molds of your upper and lower teeth).
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Pick up your take home whitening kit in 1 week.
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Whiten while you sleep for 14 nights.
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Note: The bleaching gel requires refrigeration.
In Office Session: 60 mins (3x 20 min sessions)
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Take 800mg of ibuprofen with water.
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Isolate the dentition with cotton rolls.
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Place the gum barrier to protect the gums.
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Paint whitening material all over the enamel.
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Wait 20 minutes.
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Suction off the bleaching gel.
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Repeat steps #4-6 two more times.
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Now you're all done!
Costs
Unfortunately, both take home and in-office teeth whitening are NOT covered by dental insurance. It is considered an elective cosmetic procedure that is deemed unnecessary by insurance companies. Their reasoning is that you can still eat, speak, and function with yellow stained teeth.
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Therefore, if you want whiter teeth, the entire treatment will be out of pocket. Please contact our dental office for updated pricing and to book an appointment.
FAQs
How long does whitened teeth last?
How long your teeth stay white would differ from person to person and their dietary habits. If you consume a lot of staining foods and drinks it may not last as long. Studies have shown that teeth can potentially retain their whiteness even 5 years after whitening. Don't forget, you can reuse the customized whitening take home trays for periodic maintenance. The refills cost a lot less than the initial treatment! Of course you do need to clean and take care of the trays properly so they last.
Teeth feel very sensitive after treatment
A common side effect of bleaching your teeth is sensitivity but according to the ADA, it should subside within a week after you finish whitening. However, there are steps you can take to reduce some of the discomfort.
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How to reduce sensitivity:
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Brush with sensodyne toothpaste
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Place sensodyne toothpaste inside of your whitening trays and wear them for 30 minutes. Repeat 2-3x per day.
How do the teeth become whiter?
All whitening products utilize hydrogen peroxide or a derivative of it. When peroxide comes into contact with teeth, it starts to decompose and form potent free radicals. These free radicals diffuse through the tooth while chemically oxidizing all of the stain molecules.
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The oxidation process transform the conjugated double bonds of stains to single bonds. Molecules with less double bonds will absorb less light and reflect more of it. In other words, it will appear whiter.