Dentistry is the known evaluation, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the soft and hard tissues of the jaw (mandible), the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent.
An Interview with Dr. James E. Burkholder on Tooth Whitening
Dr. James E. Burkholder is a dentist and has answered some of the common questions Bizymoms visitors have about Tooth Whitening.
Q. What is tooth whitening?
A. Tooth whitening is bleaching of the teeth using a gentle carbamide peroxide gel to remove the yellow color.
Q. Who may benefit from teeth whitening?
A. Older teenagers and adults can benefit from tooth whitening, especially those with yellowish color in their teeth.
Q. Who are not recommended to undergo teeth whitening?
A. Patients who are not good candidates for tooth whitening would first be children. At a young age their pulps or nerve chambers are very large inside the teeth and bleaching could cause excessive sensitivity. Secondly, patients with deep grey stains throughout the teeth are difficult to bleach and would be better off with porcelain crowns or veneers.
Q. What does tooth whitening involve?
A. There are two ways to whiten teeth.
1. Custom trays are made in the office that slip over the teeth. Then, at home, gel is placed in the trays and worn for approximately an hour a day.
2. Zoom bleaching is an alternative where in the office a more concentrated gel is placed on the teeth under a special lamp. This method gives the patient a boost, or head start with the whitening. Follow up with home trays is included with this procedure.
Q. How long does this take?
A. The home tray method takes anywhere from three weeks to eight weeks depending on the severity of the discolored teeth. The zoom method takes just one day plus follow-up at home with trays for one week. The zoom in-office method can be repeated for patients with heavy stains.
Q. How much does tooth whitening cost?
A. The home tray method costs around $300, and the in-office zoom method costs around $500.
Q. What are the side effects?
A. Side effects associated with tooth whitening would be tooth and gum sensitivity. This usually subsides when the bleaching time is decreased, and the bleaching session are complete.
Q. How to contact Dr. Burkholder if we have further questions?
A. We can be contacted by visiting our website www.jburkholderdds.com, or by calling 956-428-5566 and asking for an appointment.
