Teeth Whitening
Why professional whitening is different
The whitening aisle at the drugstore is crowded with products that all share the same limitation. Legally, they
can only contain a fraction of the active ingredient that professional treatments use, and one size fits
nobody’s teeth particularly well. Strips whiten in stripes, gels miss the curves, and results plateau quickly.
Professional whitening changes both halves of that equation. The formulas are significantly stronger, and the
application is controlled and complete, either by our team in the office or through trays molded exactly to
your teeth. That is why professional results run several shades deeper and last dramatically longer. Same idea
as the drugstore box, entirely different outcome.
Teeth Whitening
Option one: in-office whitening
When you want the change now, this is your treatment. In about an hour in our chair, we protect your gums,
apply professional strength gel, and lift years of coffee, tea, and wine out of your enamel in a single session.
You watch TV. We handle everything. You leave with a visibly, often dramatically, brighter smile the same day.
This is the option patients book before weddings, reunions, graduations, and job interviews, and honestly,
sometimes just before a Tuesday, because waiting weeks for strips to maybe work gets old. Sensitivity is
managed carefully throughout, with desensitizers built into the process.
Teeth Whitening
Option two: take-home whitening
If you would rather brighten gradually on your own schedule, we will make you custom whitening trays from
impressions of your teeth. Unlike floppy drugstore trays, these fit precisely, holding professional gel evenly
against every surface while keeping it off your gums. You wear them for a short stretch each day, and your
smile brightens over one to two weeks.
Take-home trays have a superpower worth mentioning. They last for years. Whenever your shade starts
drifting back toward coffee, a few nights with your trays brings it right back. Many of our in-office patients
add trays afterward for exactly this reason, dramatic results now, easy maintenance forever.
Teeth Whitening
Getting the most from your brighter smile
A quick honest note before you whiten. Whitening works on natural enamel, not on crowns, veneers, or
bonding, so if you have visible dental work we will plan around that, sometimes whitening first and matching
new restorations to your brighter shade. This is also why a quick exam comes first, since whitening over an
unnoticed cavity is an experience nobody enjoys.
After treatment, the habits that stained your teeth will still exist, so rinse after coffee and red wine, and
consider a straw for iced drinks. Results typically last one to three years, longer with touch ups. Ready to see
your teeth without the tint? Call (512) 646-4420 or book online, and we will help you pick the option that fits.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Common Questions About Sedation Dentistry
Some people feel temporary sensitivity for a day or two, and we manage it proactively with desensitizing
agents during treatment and gentler wear schedules for take-home trays. It fades quickly and causes no
lasting harm to enamel.
Most patients gain several shades, though the exact result depends on what caused your staining. Surface
stains from coffee and wine respond dramatically. Deeper discoloration can take longer or point toward
veneers instead, and we will set honest expectations before you spend anything.
Yes, when it is professionally supervised. The concentrations we use are proven safe for enamel, applied with
gum protection, and adjusted for your sensitivity. The horror stories almost always trace back to overused or
misused over the counter products.
Related services
Porcelain Veneers
Veneers are thin, custom crafted porcelain facings that transform the shape, color, and symmetry of your
smile while looking completely natural.
Cosmetic Dentistry
Veneers, bonding, and professional in-office or at-home whitening designed
around your features and your goals.
Dental Bonding
A chipped corner, a small gap, a stubborn stain. Bonding fixes small flaws in a single visit, usually without
numbing, by sculpting tooth
Ready to schedule?
Visit Our Office — 512ooth Family Dentistry, 8701 W State Hwy 71 #102, Austin, TX 78735.