Can Whitening Trays Replace a Retainer?

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I just finished my Invisalign treatment and my dentist wants me to wear a retainer for about a year. I’m not too keen on wearing something visible after having my teeth straightened invisibly, but didn’t see that I had much of a choice. Now, I’ve lost it. I’ve torn the house apart looking for it to no avail. I don’t know what to do. I don’t have a ton of money I’d like to wait until after the holidays to get a new one made. I happened to find my whitening trays while looking for my retainer. Can I wear those until I have money? They fit well.

Laura M.

Dear Laura,

teeth whitening trays

Congratulations on finishing your Invisalign treatment. I bet you’re loving your new smile. I’m sure it feels conspicuous wearing a metal retainer after Invisalign. I’m surprised your orthodontist didn’t mention there are clear retainers available. When you talk to your dentist about replacing your retainer, be sure to ask him or her to list all the options available to you, even the ones they don’t do at their office.

Unfortunately, your teeth whitening trays won’t make a good substitute. Whitening trays are purposefully made soft and flexible. This makes them quite comfortable to wear, which is great if you’re whitening your teeth but no so great if you need something to hold them firmly in place. The longer it’s been since the completion of your treatment, the better. Your teeth will be more firmly in place.

Your teeth are always on the move in some fashion and will start to shift again. You’ll need that retainer to keep them in place. A retainer is designed to give your teeth time to get used to remaining in the correct position.

I realize you don’t have much money, but this is important. If you still have your Invisalign aligners, it might not be a bad idea to wear the final set while your dentist makes you a new retainer. Many dentists have options for paying out services. For instance, Dr. Dennis uses Care Credit, which allows patients to get interest-free payment plans. This gives patients time and helps to break up the financial burden without the penalty of interest you’d get with traditional credit cards.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Holistic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Tanda Pearl Ionic Teeth Whitening

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Do you know if the Tanda Pearl Ionic Teeth Whitening is a safe option? Does it really work? I keep seeing that you only have to wear it for 5 minutes at a time in order to get professional results. I have teeth whitening trays and gel from my dentist but when I wear it for the 20 minutes he suggests it aggravates my TMJ. The idea of getting results in 5 minutes sounds appealing. The reviews seem to be mixed, though.

Misty

Dear Misty,

Invisalign aligners

Traditional Teeth Whitening Trays

Traditional Versus Tanda Teeth Whitening Trays

Above you see an image of a teeth whitening tray which your dentist would custom design for you. The Tanda Peral System is very different. For one, it is much bulkier. You can’t put it in and go on with your business. It requires you to bite down on the tray until it hardens and then for the whitening you have to keep your mouth closed while wearing it. This is because it fits your upper and lower teeth simultaneously.

Because of that, you could not sleep with it in and you’d certainly feel weird wearing it in public as it is quite noticeable. The professional trays are different. They’re made out of thin clear plastic and have separate trays for your upper and lower teeth. You could comfortably sleep with them as well as be seen in public without anyone knowing that you are wearing teeth whitening trays.

Traditional Versus Tanda Teeth Whitening Wearing Time

Your dentist recommended a 20 minute wearing time and Tanda Pearl says 5 minutes. Those times could be flipped if you wanted. You could wear your dentist’s trays for 5 minutes and the Tanda Pearl for 20. The duration you wear the trays affects how quickly your teeth whiten. If you wear them for fewer minutes a day, you just have to wear them more days. The reverse is true as well. My guess is the 5 minutes a day quoted is because of how difficult it is to keep your top and bottom arch closed together for any lengthy period of time.

If the traditional trays aggravate your TMJ problems, the Tanda trays will feel significantly worse. I’d talk to your dentist about your trays to make sure the tray is fitted properly. If it is, you can simply cut back on the time you whiten each day.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

My Dental Crown is Too Dark!

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I need some help. I needed a crown on the tooth next to my two front teeth. My temporary was darker than the rest of my teeth, but my dentist assured me that he’d pick the whitest shade for my permanent crown. I went ahead with the order. Unfortunately, when the crown came back it was much darker than the rest of my teeth as well. My dentist assures me that he ordered the whitest shade possible. How can this be accurate? Yes, I whiten my teeth, but I can’t possibly be the only person who whitens their teeth to need a dental crown to match? Is there anything I can do?

Jessica

Dear Jessica,

I think I know exactly what happened here. It sounds like you go to a decent family dentist who doesn’t do much in the way of cosmetic work. That’s okay. Everyone has their passions. For your dentist, it is more the engineering side of dentistry than the artistic side. Here is where the colored wires got crossed.

Dentists use a shade guide when it comes to matching tooth colors. Below I have an example of what was a great shade guide back before teeth whitening took off.

Vita Shade Guide

As you can see, this is a great variety of natural tooth colors. The problem is many people, like yourself, prefer teeth which are whiter than typical natural shades. Dentists started having problems matching their patient’s teeth. That’s when companies started upgrading their guides. Below is the extended shade guide which includes shades for teeth which have undergone bleaching.

Extended shade guide

It sounds like your dentist still goes by the old basic shade guide. Go ahead and show him this post, so he knows there are now brighter options for him to match your dental crown. Replacing this crown is the only way to match it to your other teeth. Unfortunately, teeth whitening does not work on anything but natural tooth structure.

One other word of caution. Because this tooth is visible when you smile, make sure when your dentist replaces it, he uses an all-porcelain crown and not a metal-based one. It will look more natural and you’ll never have to worry about the unsightly gray line which metal-based crowns develop.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Kicked Off Teeth Whitening for Life Program

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I’m a tad frustrated and wondering if I’m right. My dentist retired. I didn’t like the dentist who took over so decided to look for another one. One had a free teeth whitening for life program for patients. I checked him out and liked the office, then signed up for the program. You paid for the original teeth whitening, kept up with your checkups, and he would provide new whitening gel every year for free. I go to the dentist regularly anyway so it seemed like a no-brainer. I signed up. I’m also in the military. Shortly after I received my whitening I was deployed overseas. As soon as I returned, I scheduled my normal checkups, including the dentist. That’s when they informed me because I wasn’t in for my six month, I was kicked off the program. I explained I was deployed (serving the country) and scheduled as soon as I returned, but she insisted there was nothing they could do. Am I right in feeling this is unreasonable?

Mark

Dear Mark,

teeth whitening trays

You are not wrong for feeling slighted here. It was a remarkably short-sited thing to do to someone who puts their life on hold (as well as in danger) to serve our country.

It’s possible if the dentist knew about the situation, he’d quickly add you back to the teeth whitening program. It may be as simple as an employee not feeling like they had the authority to make exceptions. I wish they’d have thought to ask the dentist in this type of circumstance.

Therefore, the first thing I’d recommend is you call the dentist directly. Explain the situation. If he is as inflexible as his employee, then sadly, there is no recourse. However, your teeth whitening trays will still be good.

I would find another practitioner and explain what happened at your last one. Ask them if they’d be willing to sell you (at a reasonable price) just the gel to go in the trays once a year. It shouldn’t be very expensive at all. Plus, given what the last dentist did, I’m certain most would volunteer to even give you a discount.

I’d also leave a review about the dentist and warn other military personnel not to trust this dentist. It will also serve to let the general public know that this isn’t someone who supports our soldiers. I don’t think that will make his practice very popular with many people.

I’m sorry this was your experience and want to personally thank you for your service.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Can You Hurt Your Teeth By Whitening A Lot?

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I like to whiten my teeth. I do it every year. My sister-in-law says if I continue doing that every year it will damage my teeth. Is that true?

Kandace O.

Dear Kandace,

teeth whitening trays

Once a year is no big deal when it comes to teeth whitening. Some people, who are heavy coffee drinkers, will even do touch-ups every month. That being said, you should only need a touch-up.  You shouldn’t need to do a full round of in-office whitening, such as Zoom.  

Most dentists provide their patients with teeth whitening trays for touch-ups. If your dentist didn’t, you can ask him to. Then, you’ll just need to purchase a tube of gel and you are good to go. Not only will that keep your teeth shining, but it’s more affordable than the in-office alternative.

How Much is Too Much Teeth Whitening?

Let’s say you decide to whiten more often, though. How will you know how much is too much?  There are some warning signs. If you notice your teeth growing more translucent or becoming sensitive, that would be a red flag. In all honesty, excessive whitening tends to work against you.

When you whiten, the microscopic pores in your teeth open up a little bit. It takes them a couple of days to completely close, so if you drink a lot of staining beverages, such as coffee, tea, or colas, it can make your teeth stain more quickly.

If you find you have to whiten a lot. You may consider getting porcelain veneers. They’re more stain resistant than your natural teeth. If you keep up well with your oral hygiene, they should stay stain resistant for their lifetime. Not to mention veneers can totally remake your smile, including their shape, color and size simultaneously.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Did Teeth Whitening Hurt My Baby?

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I’ve had two miscarriages. I was discouraged and my husband suggested I do some fun things for me. I’d planned a spa week, which included teeth whitening. I had no idea I was pregnant again at the time. I just found out that teeth whitening is not recommended for pregnant women. Now I’m absolutely terrified I’ve done something which could hurt this baby. I don’t think I could take a third miscarriage right now.

Melanie

Dear Melanie,

teeth whitening trays

I want to express my condolences to you on the loss of your first two babies. I know how hard miscarriages are. Before we go any further, take a deep breath. It’s very likely this bit of teeth whitening did nothing to harm your baby.

The reason the ADA doesn’t recommend it for expectant women is there is no documentation on its safety. The reason for that is there hasn’t been any testing done on the effects of teeth whitening on unborn children. As you can imagine, there aren’t many moms lining up to let companies test on their children.

None of that means it is unsafe. It only means we haven’t determined it is safe.

Now that You’re Going to be a Mom

I’m going to go on the assumption that this pregnancy progresses and everything goes smoothly. How do you know when your precious little one needs to see a dentist? Many new parents make the mistake of thinking young children don’t need to see a dentist in their early years.

Unfortunately, that means they make the mistake of waiting until there’s an actual problem. That makes their child’s first visit with a dentist an emergency visit, giving them a lifetime of fear of the dentist.

It’s better for them to see a pediatric dentist around two years old. They can sit them in the chair, introduce them to the instruments, and make it a fun visit. This way they look forward to seeing the dentist and can have a lifetime of preventative care without fear. These appointments cost less than traditional adult checkups.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Teeth Whitening with Cavities?

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I went to the dentist for the first time in two years. I wasn’t having a problem, but the dentist said I had a cavity on my front tooth. They suggested I get my teeth whitened before getting it filled because the color can’t be changed after they make it. I scheduled the appointment for both procedures. But, now I’m confused because when I got home my husband said you shouldn’t get your teeth whitened when you have cavities. I looked it up and it turns out he was right. Why would my dentist tell me to do something I shouldn’t? Is he just trying to get money out of me?

Lauren J.

Dear Lauren,

Teeth whitening trays

Teeth Whitening Trays

I don’t think it is that your dentist is trying to get money out of you with complete disregard to your health and safety. This is one of those catch-22 situations in the dental industry. First, your dentist was right about the fact that your filling color can’t be changed once it’s done. You basically have three choices.

Teeth Whitening Choice Number One

Get your white fillings done first, trying to guess the approximate color you’ll end up with after you do whiten your teeth.
Pro: You won’t have any of the cons the next two options have.
Cons: The likelihood of you actually matching the true color of your teeth will be slim to none. Because these are front teeth, you may not be happy with those results.

Teeth Whitening Choice Number Two

Get your fillings done first, then whiten your teeth. Once you’ve settled on the level of whiteness you want your teeth and reach that, re-do the fillings.

Pros: You won’t have to deal with the possibility of the other two options, and everything will match perfectly.
Cons: You’re spending money on the same filling twice, which seems like an unnecessary expense to me.

Teeth Whitening Choice Number Three

Get your teeth whitened, then fill the cavity.
Pros: Perfectly matched teeth without spending extra money.
Cons: You risk tooth sensitivity during the teeth whitening process.

The reason for that is the chemicals used in professional teeth whitening are strong. With a cavity, the chemicals will be closer to the nerves of your teeth. People with sensitive teeth will find that a little uncomfortable.

One way to help with this is to take some ibuprofen before your whitening appointment. It will ease the sensitivity issue. Most people find Zoom Whitening causes more sensitivity than the take-home whitening your dentist can provide. So, that might be another way to go. However, Zoom gets the whitening done in one appointment and take-home can last a few weeks.

Ultimately, none of these are “wrong” choice; neither are they dangerous. It’s just a matter of preference.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo cosmetic dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Do Affordable Teeth Whitening Options Work?

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I don’t have money for whitening my teeth through a dentist, but I’ve been ashamed of my smile for several years now. It seems like everytime someone I know smiles they have a bright, white smile; as if everyone has had the ability to get their teeth professionally whitened. It’s given me quite an inferiority complex. I’ve been looking at affordable options, such as Crest Whitestrips and charcoal, but don’t want to spend money if it won’t be useful. What are your thoughts?

Cassie K.

Dear Cassie,

A mature couple with a beautiful smile

I’m always sad when I hear of people feeling ashamed of their smile. I understand what it’s like to not be able to afford things that are important to you. So what I’m telling you isn’t just to get you into a dentist’s office. It’s designed to protect you.

Do Affordable Teeth Whitening Options Work?

Crest Whitestrips

These will whiten your teeth…slowly. They do work, though. So, if it’s your only option, you won’t damage your teeth and you will move forward with some whitening. They have two drawbacks, though. First, because of safety issues, their whitening gel isn’t very strong. It will take many boxes of the Whitestrips to get to any significant level of whitening. In the end, it might actually be cheaper, not to mention faster, to get it done by your dentist.

The second issue is the number of teeth reached with the whitening strips. Depending on the width of your teeth, the strips only reach 4-6 of your front teeth. Most people’s smiles are much wider than that. That leaves you with two options. Either you can use more strips to cover all your visible teeth when you smile (which costs you more money) or you can have just those few teeth whitened while those adjacent to it remain their current color. This won’t look natural.

Charcoal Teeth Whitening

image of charcoal

First, let me clarify that this is referring to activated charcoal, not the charcoal you use to light a grill. This trend is picking up steam as a popular method of teeth whitening due to YouTube and a rapper who tweeted that he always uses it before seeing the ladies. I always cringe when celebrities recommend certain things because people tend to attribute expertise to them which they just don’t have.

Sadly, this new trend isn’t useful but dangerous.

Activated charcoal has an abrasiveness which will scratch your enamel. While the charcoal is absorbent and will temporarily remove some stains, the damage done is permanent and will cause your teeth to not only pick up stains much more quickly, it also puts you at a much greater risk for decay because your teeth are left without the protection given to you by your enamel. Cheap whitening isn’t worth the health of your teeth, leading to the need for fillings or worse, a dental crown.

My suggestion would be to take the money you would spend on Crest Whitestrips every month and put that aside until you have enough for professional teeth whitening. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll have enough money to get it done thoroughly and safely.

If you’re impatient or have a special event coming up where you don’t want to wait, many dentists accept CareCredit. This is a medical credit card of sorts, which has low and even no interest payment plans. This will allow you to get your teeth whitened and slowly pay it out.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Susan Dennis.

Teeth Whitening Working on Every Tooth Except One

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What’s going on with my teeth whitening? I’ve got these custom trays from my dentist which are supposed to fit all my teeth evenly. All of my teeth are whitening except one which looks really gray. I called my dentist’s office and they said to give it time. But it really does look weird. Can I buy a whitening strip and put it on just that tooth to give it some extra?

Corey T.

Dear Corey,

Custom Teeth Whitening Trays

You’re correct that your teeth should be whitening evenly. The fact that they’re not, means one of two things.

It’s not a natural tooth

Even professional strength teeth whitening will only work on natural tooth structure. It may appear gray looking next to your natural teeth because they’re whitening and it’s not. Is it possible this tooth has a dental crown on it? If so, your dentist should have warned you that it wouldn’t whiten.

The tooth has been traumatized

A graying tooth is usually a sign the tooth has experienced trauma and is either dead or dying. In this case, it’s not whitening because it’s not stains that are the problem.

How to Whiten Your Gray Tooth

First, if it’s dead or dying, the tooth needs a root canal treatment. Otherwise, the problem will spread and you could lose the tooth to brittleness. You need to deal with this sooner rather than later. Tell your dentist you need an emergency dental appointment.

I have to tell you, though, I don’t have a great deal of confidence in your dentist. You may be better served going to a different one. The moment you told him that the teeth weren’t whitening evenly, especially with it being just one tooth, he should have clued in something is off. Telling you to give it time was the absolute worst advice you could have received.

Secondly, after your root canal treatment or if it’s a crowned tooth, the only way for it to get whiter is to replace the crown. If your other teeth have already reached the level of whitening you want then you can get it crowned immediately to match your new color. Be certain your dentist uses an all-porcelain crown and not a metal based one. The all-porcelain crowns are much more beautiful and natural looking.

If you still want to get your other teeth even whiter, finish your whitening treatment. When you get to the level of whiteness you want, then you can get your crown. There’s one exception to that. If you needed a root canal treatment, you’ll want a temporary crown placed so the graying tooth doesn’t disintegrate. Then, when you’re finished you can have a permanent crown placed.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo cosmetic dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

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