Hope Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry

Luster Premium Teeth Whitening

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I recently saw an advertisement for Luster Premium Teeth Whitening. It does have some good reviews, but I would like to get a professional opinion before using something over the counter. Have you ever examined this? If so, is it safe? I’ve never been happy with my smile and am looking for ways to improve it.

Emily

Dear Emily,

Teeth Whitening Trays

I am glad you wrote. I have looked into this. Lets talk about the light first. It does not have the strength to do anything. I think it is there just to make you think it is helping. The second issue is the whitening ingredient itself. This is not a true teeth whitening ingredient, such as you would find with a dentist or even some legitimate over the counter products. Instead, it uses a pigment found in one of their ingredients, Zinc Oxide. This will temporarily make the teeth look whiter without actually whitening them. My guess is this is why there are some positive reviews. They likely wrote the review before the pigment wore off.

I think this would be a waste of your money. If you are looking to improve your smile, this will not be the best way.

Improving Your Smile

If you are looking for a top of the line smile makeover, then porcelain veneers is the way to go. It is the go-to for Hollywood celebrities and can change anything you want, including the shape, size, and color. However, this is not cheap, so it will depend on your budget. One word of caution here. You don’t want to let any dentist do this. It requires an expert cosmetic dentist. Smile makeovers are not taught in dental school, so it requires a lot of post-doctoral training to develop the skill as well as artistry. If you go this route, I would look for an AACD accredited dentist to do this procedure.

If you need something less expensive and are just wanting to whiten them, it will improve your smile. In fact, it is the least expensive way to significantly to make your smile look better, while making you look years younger. Unlike the porcelain veneers procedure, pretty much any dentist can do it. It’s the most basic of cosmetic procedures.

There are two types of whitening procedures. The first is in-office whitening. Many offices who do this use Zoom Whitening. It allows you to whiten your teeth in just one appointment. Another method is at-home teeth whitening. It will use bleaching trays, such as the ones pictured above. This whitens your teeth over a period of weeks, but allows you to control the level of whitening.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

Bleaching a Gray Tooth

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I have a tooth which is turning gray at the moment. I’ve tried teeth whitening strips. They’re whitening my other teeth but not the gray one. I tried just cutting the strip to fit that tooth but it’s not making a difference. Would getting it bleached by a dentist help?

Melody

Dear Melody,

Teeth Whitening Trays

A gray tooth means that the tooth is either dead or dying. Is it possible you’ve had some trauma to that tooth recently? That would explain the tooth turning gray. Bleaching your teeth isn’t going to fix the color. Not even professional teeth whitening.

What you’ll need to do instead is get a root canal treatment and dental crown. The dental crown is to protect your tooth. They often become brittle after a root canal.

I’m guessing the tooth is visible or you wouldn’t be worried about whitening it. Because of that, make sure your dentist gives you an all-porcelain crown. These are much more natural and beautiful looking when done by a skilled cosmetic dentist.

Why Whiten Your Teeth Before Getting a Crown?

When your dental crown is created, the color it’s made with is permanent. If you decide to whiten your teeth later, your teeth will still whiten, but the crown will not. It stays the same color. To get them to match you’ll have to change the color.

If you’re happy with the whitening you received from your whitening strips, you can stick with that and match your crown to them. Otherwise, I’d recommend going ahead and seeing your dentist to whiten your teeth thoroughly before getting the crown.

Types of Professional Teeth Whitening

You can get two types of whitening through your dentist.

In-office

Although Dr. Cha previously used Zoom® to whiten teeth, he switched to KöR™.  Unlike Zoom, KöR doesn’t use an activation light for the bleaching gel. The light dries out teeth and makes them sensitive. KöR conditions and hydrates teeth. Read more about the switch on his Zoom whitening page.

At-home

If you’re looking for whitening where you get more control over the level of whitening, then at-home whitening is a better option for you. This is different from the white strips you were using. Your dentist makes custom fitted trays, like in the picture above. They’ll provide professional strength gel for you to wear in the trays.

Once you reach the level of whitening you want, you’re done.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

DIY Teeth Whitening

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My dentist refused to whiten my teeth until I got my teeth cleaned. It kind of ticked me off so I’ve been looking into DIY Teeth Whitening options. The one which seems to be the most legit is charcoal whitening. Is there anything I need to know about it to make it the most effective?

Dan

Dear Dan,

An image of charcoal

First, let me explain why your dentist was insisting on a cleaning. If you haven’t had a cleaning in a while and your dentist whitened your teeth anyway, the results would end up splotchy. You will end up embarrassed by how your teeth look. But, when you start with professionally cleaned teeth, the results are smooth and amazing. So, don’t get too annoyed at your dentist. He’s just trying to make sure you end up with results you’ll be happy with.

Charcoal and Teeth Whitening

The type of charcoal they’re talking about when it comes to DIY whitening isn’t the kind you’d use in a grill. They’re referring to activated charcoal, which is completely different.

The theory behind activated charcoal is it’s natural, non-toxic, and absorbent. All of that is true. You can ingest it and you’ll be perfectly safe. Unfortunately, it’s not safe for your teeth. Charcoal has quite a high abrasiveness rating. The upside is it will whiten your teeth— temporarily. The downside is because of its abrasiveness it will also scratch the enamel on your teeth, causing it to pick up stains much more readily. That lost enamel doesn’t grow back. You’re stuck with teeth that look duller because their shiny glazing is damaged and pick up stains so often you need to whiten your teeth much more than you’d ever need to under normal, healthy tooth circumstances.

If you truly want beautiful, white teeth you’re better off having professional teeth whitening done. Or, if there are other things you want to change about your smile, you could go all out and get a total smile makeover with porcelain veneers.

Professional Teeth Whitening Options

Most cosmetic dentists offer two types of teeth whitening:

  • In-office Whitening
  • Take-home Whitening

How do you know which option is better for you? It really depends on the level of whitening you want. If you just want to get your teeth as white as they possibly can get, then I’d suggest in-office whitening. Although Zoom Whitening is popular, Dr. Cha prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™. Unlike Zoom, KöR® doesn’t use an activation light, which dries out teeth and makes them sensitive. KöR® provides comfortable whitening with a gel that conditions and hydrates your teeth.

If you want to whiten your teeth gradually and control just how white they’ll get, then take-home whitening is for you. It costs a little less, but if you want them very white, it could take several weeks.

Getting a Total Smile Makeover

I mentioned porcelain veneers earlier. This is the top of the line for cosmetic dental procedures. These tiny wafers of porcelain can remake every aspect of your smile. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all in one fell swoop.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

Teeth Whitening and Pot Stains

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Can you tell me if teeth whitening can get rid of pot stains? If so would someone use the tray teeth whitening or the Zoom? Asking for a friend….

Dan S.

Dear Dan,

an attractive white smile

After Teeth Whitening

Here’s what you can tell your friend…

You can imagine there haven’t been any clinical studies done on this to date. Not only is a brand unwilling to give patients marijuana, they’re not likely to align their brand with it either. Though, my guess would be this will change because more states are legalizing its use.

Even without the studies, I can tell you that teeth whitening can remove marijuana stains because of the nature of THC stains that have been observed in patients. That being said, there are some things you should know first.

Any teeth whitening needs to be done on clean teeth. If you haven’t had your teeth recently cleaned, the whitening gel will not distribute evenly which will give you blotchy teeth. Not an attractive look.

As to whether to use take-home whitening or Zoom whitening, it will completely whiten your teeth in one appointment. Dr. Cha is quite familiar with Zoom but he prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™. Why? KöR has several advantages over Zoom:

  • It doesn’t use a light to accelerate the gel. The light dries out teeth and makes them sensitive.
  • The system KöR uses gel to condition and hydrate your teeth.
  • It significantly lightens tetracycline and fluorosis stains, which other brands can’t do.

With take-home gel, you gradually see the results. Although your teeth can be as brilliant as an in-office treatment, it will happen over a period of weeks instead of the same day.

Before You Whiten Your Teeth

Are you certain your friend’s stains are from marijuana? THC stains are usually very easy to remove so if your friend regularly brushes his teeth and gets check-ups there really shouldn’t be that much staining, at least not from that.

It could be that he’s assuming it’s from that but they’re actually stained from things like cigarettes or coffee/tea, etc. Those will need professional whitening as they are harder to remove and get into the pores of the teeth more readily.

Pot Smoking and Oral Health

Something else to be aware of. People who smoke marijuana have a much higher rate of gum disease and decay. Most of that has to do with the effects of THC on the gums. I would also venture to guess that when someone is high, they’re binging on lots of food because of the “munchies”. That’s more likely to be things like carbs, sugary snacks, and sodas than it is to be carrot sticks and other healthy snacks. Plus, it’s highly unlikely brushing and flossing after snacking like that is going to be high on their priority list if they happen at all.

Let your friend know how important it is he brush carefully afterward, and also see a dentist regularly. Otherwise, he will develop gum disease which leads to tooth loss. Then he’s looking at expensive tooth replacement options such as dental implants.

Some recreational users avoid the dentist out of fear of being turned in. That’s really not a legitimate fear. They won’t turn him in, with the possible exception of if he came to the office high and was trying to drive himself home. That would make him a public danger.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

Dentist Pressuring Me to Whiten My Teeth

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I am getting annoyed at my dentist. I’m planning on getting a dental implant on a front tooth. It’s going to cost me a fortune. Yet, my dentist still isn’t satisfied. He’s nagging me to get my teeth whitened first. That’s even more money. Should I do what he wants? Is there a legitimate reason or is it just a money grab?

Luis F.

Dear Luis,

before teeth whitening

Before Teeth Whitening

After Teeth Whitening

After Teeth Whitening

While I don’t know your dentist or his motives, there is a sound principle behind you getting your teeth whitened ahead of getting your dental implant, especially given the tooth you’re replacing is a visible front tooth.

What your dentist doesn’t seem to have explained to you is the reason. Once the porcelain crown for your dental implant is made, the color cannot be changed. If your teeth are showing some yellowing and you eventually decide to whiten them, you’ll have a beautiful white smile….except for where your implant crown is. That will still match your older yellowed color. That will be both distracting and unattractive.

Doesn’t Teeth Whitening Take Forever?

One argument is that teeth whitening can take weeks to get to the level of whitening the patient wants. When you’re anxious to get started on your implant surgery, that can seem like an unnecessary delay. After all, you could simply replace the crown later when you’re ready to whiten. However, it’s no longer necessary.

With Zoom Whitening, or other brands of in-office whitening, you can completely whiten your teeth in just one appointment. Dr. Cha prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™ because, unlike Zoom, KöR doesn’t use an acceleration light that dries out your teeth and makes them sensitive.

You will want to give it a week before getting your crown though, in order to allow the color to settle a bit. But, with dental implants, that’s not a problem. The implant surgery comes before the crown, so you have plenty of time.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

Can You Get A Pretty Smile Without Porcelain Veneers?

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I’ve been unhappy with my smile for years. They’re stained. I have a gap in my front teeth and a chip on two of them. I’ve always wanted porcelain veneers, but just can’t afford them. Is there a way to get a pretty smile without veneers?

Jullian S. – Arkansas

Jullian,

Yes! There are great ways to give you a gorgeous smile–even without using porcelain veneers. I’ll list them in the order they’d need to be done for best results.

The very first thing I’d do is teeth whitening. It’s inexpensive, it makes you look years younger, and depending on which teeth whitening procedure you decide on, you can have complete control of the level of whitening.

If you just want them as absolutely white as you can get them and you want it done quickly, KöR® Deep Bleaching™ is an in-office system that will give your teeth a blast of whitening. Although many dentists use Zoom Whitening, Dr. Cha prefers KöR because unlike Zoom, it doesn’t use a gel-activation light that dries out your teeth and make them sensitive.

If you want to control how white they get, take-home whitening is a fantastic option. You simply wear the take-home trays for a period of time every day and when you’ve reached the whitening you’d envisioned, you stop.  It’s that simple.

After you whiten, it’s time to address the gaps and chips.  The simplest thing to do is dental bonding. Though you want to make sure you go to a good cosmetic dentist for the procedure. It has to be done freehand.

It’s important that the whitening gets done first so you can match the dental bonding to your new sparkling, white teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

How Long Does Teeth Whitening Take?

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I was wanting to get my teeth whitened but was curious as to how long the procedure takes.

Tom B. – Georgia

Tom,

It really depends on the type of teeth whitening procedure you’re asking about. An in-office teeth whitening procedure can be done in just one appointment. Dr. Cha prefers KöR over Zoom because it doesn’t dry out your teeth and make them sensitive.

If you’re talking about at-home teeth whitening it depends on how white you want your teeth. You’ll wear the whitening trays for a minimum of twenty minutes a day, for as many days as you’d like until you reach the level of whitening you want. Most people reach their goal in just a few weeks.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

How do you find the best whitening dentist?

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I want to get my teeth whitened and want to be sure I have it done well.  How do I find the best teeth whitening dentist?

Beverly T. – San Antonio

Beverly,

There aren’t really whitening dentists. So there isn’t one best dentist for whitening. Any general dentist that does cosmetic dentistry could easily do a fantastic job. It’s not a difficult procedure.

Your decision probably needs to be more what type of teeth whitening that you prefer. Do you want to do it at home and control how white your teeth get or do you just want to get them as white as possible in just one visit?

If you want to control it, do at-home professional teeth whitening. Otherwise, you might prefer an in-office procedure. Although Zoom® is popular, Dr. Cha prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™. KöR doesn’t use a light to accelerate the gel. It hydrates and conditions teeth, instead of drying them out like Zoom.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

Do Whitening Toothpastes Work?

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I’ve been thinking about getting a whitening toothpaste, but wondered if they were at all useful. Any thoughts?

Amanda L. – Alabama

Amanda,

It depends on what you’re wanting to get out of the toothpaste.  Most whitening toothpastes will do a good job of removing surface stains, but they will not get the stains that are beneath the surface of your teeth. For that, you will need professional teeth whitening.

There are generally two kinds:

  • In-office whitening: Although Zoom is popular, Dr. Cha prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™ because it doesn’t dry out your teeth or make them sensitive like Zoom.  You go into the dentists office for about two hours and leave with brilliantly white teeth.
  • At-home teeth whitening:  If you want a more gradual tooth whitening or want to control the level of whitening, then I’d recommend this method.  You were some whitening trays at your convenience for a minimum of twenty minutes daily and keep doing it until you’ve reached the level of whitening you’re hoping for.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

How fast can I get my teeth whitened?

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I just got a call for a job interview. It’s my dream job and I never expected to even get the interview. How fast is it possible to get your teeth whitened. I want to make the best impression possible, by my interview is next week. Can that happen in a week?

Amanda I. – Chicago

Amanda,

Yes, it is possible. In fact, you can get your teeth brilliantly white in just one day. You’ll have to do in-office teeth whitening, with a system like KöR® Deep Bleaching™.  It will get your teeth completely white in one appointment. Although Zoom is more popular, it uses an acceleration light that dries out your teeth and makes them sensitive. Dr. Cha prefers KöR.

The trick may be finding a dentist that does KöR and has an opening in time. Fortunately, you live in Chicago where there are lots of dentists.

Good luck with your job interview!

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

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