According to a national study conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), the one thing people most want to improve about their smile is the whiteness and brightness of teeth. Our society values a dazzling smile and attributes success, beauty, confidence, and intelligence to people with pearly white…pearly whites! Nowhere is this more obvious than the oral hygiene aisle at your local pharmacy. You’ll find shelves of whitening strips, gels, pastes, and mouthwashes. Unfortunately, these store-bought products aren’t very effective.

Request an Appointment

At Bruner Dental, you can brighten your smile up to ten shades in one appointment at our dental office, using Zoom! teeth whitening from our Marion, IN cosmetic dentist. Patients can also bleach teeth at home with professional-grade take-home teeth whitening kits. Both methods deliver safe, reliable results and remove stains caused by coffee, tea, red wine, berries, tobacco, and other offenders. The method you choose depends on your unique needs and preferences. During a cosmetic dentistry consultation, our team will help you find the best teeth whitening method to address your tooth staining and brighten your smile. We look forward to giving you a better, brighter smile! Contact Bruner Dental today to schedule your first appointment. Our dental office is located in Marion, IN, and we serve the nearby areas of Wabash, Fairmount, and beyond.

Whiten in Our Dental Office

A Zoom!® whitening treatment appointment takes about an hour in our Marion dental office. While you rest comfortably, we isolate your smile using plastic guards to protect soft tissue and keep neutralizing saliva off of teeth. Then, we apply a custom dose of the Zoom! bleaching gel to teeth. Zoom! teeth whitening uses a special blue light to activate and accelerate the teeth whitening process. The gel and light work in tandem to lift stains and discolorations from surface tooth enamel and even the inner dentin layers of teeth. We allow the whitening gel to work for about 20 minutes before checking your results. We reapply as necessary to allow patients to achieve their desired results. Tooth stains disappear quickly without impacting natural tooth structure. To maintain your results, we can offer professional take-home kits containing supplies to touch up your smile as needed.

Whiten at Home

Bleaching at home lets you choose where and when to brighten your teeth. We take an impression of your smile to create custom-fitted bleaching trays and give you a supply of professional-strength teeth whitening solution. The custom fit of the trays ensures that the bleaching solution covers the entire surface of teeth without leaking or allowing neutralizing saliva access to the smile that halts the teeth whitening process. We’ll instruct you on how to use these custom-crafted trays before you leave the dental office. Typically, you’ll wear the application trays with whitening gel for about half an hour each a day for between ten days and two weeks. This leads to a bright, beautiful smile, delivering the same results possible with in-office Zoom! teeth whitening over the course of several daily applications. These professional take-home teeth whitening kits are also beneficial to maintain the results of in-office teeth whitening. Most patients can keep their pearly white smiles with just a few applications each year.

Understanding the Cost of Teeth Whitening

Even if you want teeth whitening, its price may worry you. A treatment that “breaks the bank” just wouldn’t be useful. Still, the cost of teeth whitening varies by patient. Before you decide anything, you should see our dentists for a precise estimate. They will then find ways to make your care affordable. In fact, our team can explain whitening’s cost factors and payment options. For further details, just keep reading or call our office today.

Teeth Whitening FAQs

What’s the Difference Between Professional and Store-Bought Teeth Whitening?

Since there are whitening kits and toothpastes available at your local store and online, you might be wondering why you should invest in professional treatments instead. Well, there are a few reasons! To start, we use professional-grade brightening treatments that can lighten your teeth by up to eight shades in a single appointment. Plus, we always make conducting a thorough exam the very first step. That way, we can make sure that your oral health stays in pristine condition every step of the way.

Does Teeth Whitening Hurt?

There is a common misconception that whitening your teeth hurts. However, this sensation typically only occurs due to over-whitening, like using the brightening agents too much or for too long. That’s another benefit of professional treatment! Whether you choose in-office or take-home teeth whitening, we will take active steps to prevent sensitivity before, during, and after your treatment.

How Can I Make My Teeth Whitening Results Last?

Typically, the results last anywhere from several months to a few years. To prevent stubborn stains from resurfacing sooner than that, we strongly recommend taking proactive measures to keep your teeth white, like using a straw when drinking coffee and avoiding dark-colored foods, like balsamic vinaigrette. Of course, it’s equally as important to adopt good oral hygiene habits, like brushing your teeth after each meal, flossing daily, and prioritizing your biannual dental checkups and cleanings.

Does Teeth Whitening Work on Dental Crowns?

Unfortunately, teeth whitening treatments do not work on dental crowns since they aren’t crafted from enamel. If you are no longer happy with the color of your restoration, then you should still schedule a consultation with our cosmetic dentist. That way, they can review all of the treatment options available, like having your current one replaced with a lighter shade.

Am I a Candidate for Teeth Whitening?

Luckily, the large majority of patients struggling with dental discoloration are candidates. So, there is a good chance that you are too! If you are unhappy with your smile because your teeth look yellow, brown, or grey, then it’s worth scheduling a consultation. Once our Marion cosmetic dentist has a better idea of the cause of your discoloration and how severe the stains are, they can determine if teeth whitening is the ideal solution or if another cosmetic dental treatment (like veneers) would be better.