Teeth Whitening in Gaithersburg
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Did you know…
Ancient Egyptians used a whitening paste made from pumice stones mixed with vinegar to whiten their teeth more than 4,000 years ago.
How It Works: Professional Teeth Whitening With Zoom
Cosmetic consultation
To begin, you’ll meet with Dr. Ranju Bhasin for a cosmetic dentistry consultation. She will discuss all of your options for a brighter smile, including teeth whitening, and determine what type of teeth whitening is right for you.
In-office teeth whitening
If you get Zoom in-office whitening, your treatment will start with a teeth cleaning to prepare your smile for whitening. Then, Dr. Bhasin will use special protectants on your lips and gums, and apply Zoom peroxide gel to your teeth. She will use a special UV light to activate this gel, boosting its effects. Then, she’ll rinse it away. This process is done three times in total, so in-office whitening usually takes about an hour. Once your whitening is done, Dr. Bhasin will apply fluoride gel to your teeth to reduce sensitivity, and you’ll be sent home.
Take-home teeth whitening
We also offer Zoom take-home whitening. In this process, Dr. Bhasin will take impressions of your teeth, and send these to a lab. There, a set of custom-fitted whitening trays will be built, matching your teeth perfectly. Once they are manufactured and arrive at our office, you’ll pick up your trays and your Zoom whitening gel. Dr. Bhasin will give you instructions on how to whiten your teeth at home. Then, you’ll take things from there. Take-home whitening lets you spend less time at the dentist, and get results on your schedule.
Caring for your new smile
Once your teeth have been whitened, it’s important to brush and floss regularly, avoid staining foods and drinks, and come back for a consultation at Lifetime Smile every six months. We also offer touch-ups to keep your teeth bright, white, and beautiful.
Schedule Follow Up Appointment
No matter what kind of treatment you’re scheduling, our team is here for you. We can answer any insurance or financing questions you may have, and will do everything we can to ensure every visit is simple and stress-free.
Types Of Teeth Whitening We Offer
Zoom In-Office Whitening
Zoom in-office whitening combines the power of peroxide with UV light to deliver amazing results. With in-office whitening from Zoom, you can whiten your smile up to 5-10 shades in just a single appointment, and with minimal post-treatment sensitivity. This makes in-office whitening ideal if you want fast results, or if you need to get a brighter smile for a special event like a wedding, photo shoot, or business conference.
Zoom Take-Home Whitening
We also use the Zoom system for take-home teeth whitening. Take-home whitening from Zoom uses the same clinical-grade peroxide gel, but you do it on your own, using a set of reusable whitening trays that are custom-fitted to your teeth. That means you can save time, treat yourself on your own schedule, and relax in the comfort of your own home. Take-home whitening offers the same results as in-office whitening, though it takes a few weeks to reach your final tooth shade. Some patients actually prefer this, since the gradual process means other people are less likely to notice that they’ve had their teeth whitened.
Fluoride Treatments
Fluoride treatments are simple, non-invasive, and are great at keeping dental decay from occurring. After your cleaning, we’ll apply a varnish or gel that is rich in fluoride to your teeth, then rinse it away after a few minutes. Fluoride strengthens your enamel by kickstarting a process called “remineralization,” which works by attracting minerals like calcium and phosphates to your teeth, helping to restore the hardness of your enamel and increase your smile’s resistance to acids.
Dental Sealants
Dental sealants are most commonly recommended for children who may be high-risk for tooth decay, but they’re also a great option for patients of any age who wish to protect themselves from developing cavities. A relatively straight-forward procedure, dental sealants start with the application of dental resin, usually to the rear teeth, as they have more grooves and uneven surfaces where plaque and bacteria can easily hide. A UV light will be used to cure the resin, hardening it and creating a powerful barrier between your enamel and food debris, acid, or bacteria. When applied correctly, dental sealants can last for years!
Periodontal Care
Many patients struggle with gum disease, and if left untreated, can risk losing their teeth and other problems. Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease, and is the only stage that can actually be reversed with deep cleanings and attentive at-home hygiene. If you have gum disease, keeping up with your regular cleanings and checkups will help you gain control over your oral health before it’s too late!
For patients with more advanced stages of periodontitis, we recommend scheduling deep cleanings at more frequent intervals, usually every three to four months. Although the effects of advanced gum disease can’t be reversed, deep cleanings, scaling, and root planing can halt the progression of periodontitis and help preserve your oral health.
Oral Cancer Screenings
Oral cancer screenings are an important part of every preventive care visit. Catching oral cancer in its early stages allows us to stop it before it spreads, and can save your life. That’s why we’ll always check for signs of oral cancer at every preventive visit.
Your dentist will examine your oral tissues, like your gums and tongue, keeping an eye out for abnormalities like lesions, lumps, discolorations. If we find anything unusual, we’ll take a biopsy and send it out to a specialist for a thorough analysis. Although oral cancer isn’t overly common, it’s important to remain proactive and consistent with your oral healthcare routine, so we can identify any issues before they become major problems.
Night Guards
Teeth grinding and clenching while sleeping is a common issue faced by many patients. Night guards are a great solution for this unconscious clenching, also known as bruxism. Night guards form a soft barrier that protects your teeth from damage caused by the pressure of clenching and grinding. Your dentist will take an impression or a scan of your teeth and gums to create a unique mold that will be sent to a dental lab, where your night guard will be custom-crafted. Night guards work by easing the tension in your jaw, alleviating the painful headaches and other side effects of clenching and grinding, so you can get the sleep you need and keep your teeth from wearing down.
Sport Guards
Sports mouth guards are worn over the teeth, just like night guards. However sports guards are designed specifically to protect your smile from dental injuries that are so common when playing high-intensity impact sports. Custom-fitted sports guards can help protect athletes from oral trauma caused by collisions to the mouth, face, and head. If you play football, basketball, baseball, soccer, rugby, hockey, gymnastics, mountain biking, or other activities that put you at risk for injury due from falls, body contact, or flying objects, ask us about getting fitted for a custom sports guard today! Tailored to fit your unique smile, sports guards are comfortable, durable, and won’t stop you from playing the sports you love.
