Forest Hills Professional Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is one of the easiest and most cost-effective cosmetic dentistry treatments in Forest Hills. But not all teeth whitening treatments are created equal! Dr. Gregory Mark offers three professional options that provide a big advantage over weaker, over-the-counter products.
In-Office (Same Day) Teeth Whitening
KöR whitening products are some of the most effective gel systems on the market. We use KöR for all of our same-day whitening treatments because of its gentle, yet powerful solution.
When you visit Forest Hills Dental for an in-office whitening treatment, you can expect to be here for about an hour and a half, but you’ll walk out the same day with drastically whiter teeth!
First, Dr. Mark will apply a protective coating over your gums to prevent any sensitivity or irritation. Next, we’ll brush the KöR gel over each of your teeth and let it set for about 10-15 minutes. Depending on the type of gel we’re using, we may also need to use a bright light to accelerate the process. The gel is rinsed away and reapplied a few more times, depending on the extent of your tooth stain.
The professional grade KöR gel oxidizes stain particles and whitens the enamel underneath, leaving teeth several shades brighter. We’ll use a shade guide to measure the color of your teeth before and after the procedure, so that you can see exactly how white your teeth have gotten.
You might want to choose same day whitening if you have a last minute job interview, important weekend event, or simply want to look your best for an exciting activity that’s coming up! In-house whitening is great if you don’t have the time or want to keep up with a home whitening system.
Plus, when you opt for a same-day teeth whitening treatment in Forest Hills, you’ll automatically receive a customized set of take home trays to help maintain your results well into the future.
Take Home Whitening Trays
For people who prefer whitening their teeth at home, a custom set of bleaching trays and KöR gel work best. We’ll take an impression of your bite to create fitted trays (which look like a clear aligner or retainer) that hug each tooth. This feature keeps the whitening gel evenly distributed across your smile, so that you get better results than a loose stock guard you would buy in stores.
To use your trays, place a small dot of KöR whitening gel inside of the reservoir of each tooth. Slip the tray over your bite and make sure the gel spreads across your teeth, without spilling onto your gums (as it could bleach or irritate your tissues.)
Wear your home whitening trays for at least an hour a day for 10-14 days. You’ll start to see results within a few uses, but for full and even whitening it’s important to wear your trays daily.
KöR is designed to whiten at optimal levels but reduce your risk of tooth sensitivity. To further minimize sensitive teeth, we recommend using a sensitivity toothpaste for a couple of weeks leading up to your whitening treatment and through the duration of your applications. You can also opt to wear your trays every other day, instead of daily.
Internal Deep Bleaching
Do you have a single tooth that’s darker than the rest? Perhaps you had previous trauma that caused the tooth to die, or the nerve appears to be deteriorating. If that’s the case, a regular professional whitening application won’t do much to change the color of deeper layers of your tooth.
But, Dr. Mark can access the nerve chamber to perform a single tooth deep bleaching session that whitens it from the inside out. Instead of just applying the whitening products to the outside of your tooth, they’re also placed inside of it, whitening from the other direction.
Internal tooth bleaching is something our Forest Hills cosmetic dentist offers on a case-by-case basis. It’s not meant for multiple teeth, but rather one or two problematic areas that are detracting from your otherwise healthy smile.
Maintenance and Touch Ups
Whether you’ve had in-house whitening or use a take home kit, Forest Hills Dental recommends regular touchups to keep your teeth whiter, longer. For most individuals, you’ll want to wear your whitening trays a few sessions after each checkup and cleaning (when new surface stains are polished off.)
For people who tend to get more stain than others — such as smokers or heavy coffee drinkers — you may want to consider touching up as often as every 3-4 months.
Any time you’re out of KöR gel, just stop by Forest Hills Dental for a refill. You can only get the prescription-grade, concentrated gels directly from a dentist; they aren’t sold online or in stores.
Is Teeth Whitening Right for Me?
Before starting any type of teeth whitening treatment, it’s important to visit Forest Hills Dental for an exam. We’ll want to rule out any tooth decay or gum disease, which could delay your cosmetic dental treatment.
Additionally, if you have any tooth-colored restorations (such as white fillings or porcelain crowns) in your smile zone, it’s important to note that they won’t respond to the whitening products. Rather, they’ll maintain the same color while the teeth around them get whiter. You’ll want to plan to have them updated to match your newly whitened teeth, so that everything looks consistent from one side of your smile to the other.
Teeth whitening is usually reserved for adults, but teens can take advantage of gentler whitening systems to help them feel more comfortable in their own smiles. Talk with Dr. Mark about the best options for your teen during their next exam.
If you’re planning other cosmetic dental treatment, Dr. Mark usually recommends whitening first. That away your new restorations can be made to match the brighter color of your smile.
Martina Machado
For someone who is deathly afraid of the dentist, my nerves disappeared instantly. When I first arrived, Maria the receptionist was very welcoming and that was exactly what I needed in order to feel more comfortable. I was then taken in for X-rays and of course my nerves started up again but Marvin was very patient with me and reassured me that there was no rush. Ana then took me in for my cleaning and she explained everything to me step by step. Not once did I feel uncomfortable. Lastly, I met with Dr.Mark who is very knowledgeable and gave me my next steps to ensuring that my teeth stay healthy and my smile gets to where I want it to be. Overall, it was an amazing visit and I know I am in great hands!
Lisamarie Garguilo
Thank you Dr. Mark! Visiting Forest Hills Dental was the best decision! I recently moved to Queens from Long Island and did not have a dentist in the area. My situation was unique and I was told that not to many dentist would take on my issue. I made an appointment on line. Maria the receptionist called to confirm my appointment, when I explained what was going on and she immediately re-scheduled to get me in sooner to see Dr. Mark. While in the chair Dr. Mark explained everything that was going to happen with the procedure and made sure I was never in pain. I am so happy I found them. Thank you again for taking care of me!