Click on your topic of interest:

Teeth Whitening
Tooth-colored Fillings
Inlays
Onlays
Veneers
Crowns
Bridges
Implants

Teeth Whitening

“How can I get my teeth whiter?”

“Spruce-it up” (with tooth whitening)

The best way to supercharge your smile, by far, is bleaching or teeth whitening. Bleaching is safe, non-invasive and low cost! Results are fast!

A dentist-supervised program of whitening achieves the best result.

• Dentist prescribed bleaching gels are not available in stores. Our whitening agents vary in concentration from 10% to 38%.
• Custom fit bleaching trays are fabricated for you by qualified technicians.
• Your dental providers will assist you in selecting the most effective gels and techniques to achieve your whitening goals.
• Some patients experience hypersensitivity while bleaching. Several desentizing techniques are available. Your professionals are available for follow up care whenever it is needed.

How does tooth whitening work?

The most common method of whitening is “at home” bleaching. It also is most cost effective.

• When your customized trays are delivered you’ll receive all necessary instructions. Final fit of your trays is verified and your gels dispensed.
• Some systems are made to bleach while you sleep. These work 10 – 14 days.
• Other systems bleach for 30 minutes or from 1 – 4 hours a day. Whitening can take between 7 – 14 days!

Another method of tooth whitening is “in office” bleaching.

• A special liquid resin shroud is painted over your gums and solidified to place by light polymerization. This protects your gums from bleaching gel.
• Non-light activated bleaching gel is applied to your teeth for 1 hour.
• Results are immediate. Additional whitening continues for 24 hours.
• Many patients also follow – up on the same day with “at home” bleaching for extra whitening results.

We encourage you to select a tooth whitening program that most efficiently meets your time line and whitening goals.

More on Teeth Whitening

My favorite product to use for teeth whitening is Opalescence. Its a bleach only product, no light activation of any kind. Its safe, does an awesome job and has less hypersensitivity than other systems (we’ve tried many).

We offer it as a one hour in-office service and/or as a take home system in a variety of strengths to fit any need a patient may have.

I’ve used both light activated and non-light activated bleaching techniques.

I could charge more by using light activated teeth whitening techniques. But I just havn’t seen a significant advantage in using them.

We get equal results

• Even patients can’t see the difference between light activation and non-light activation
• Its safe, predictable, proven, has less hypersensitivity
• And research supporting light activation is
• controversial

Safety and simplicity of the technique is important to us. Light activated whitening adds another variable in the technique. Most offices have no difficulties with adding light activation. I just don’t like it.

It is possible to sustain injuries from light activation. Here’s an isolated example. I found this claim posted on the internet.

Meet Erik

before his light activated teeth whitening appointment

Here’s Erik’s light activated teeth whitening later on:

These photos (#1 & #2) are 36 hours after light activated teeth whitening.

According to Erik, he suffered burns to his lips, and a portion of his upper lip and “no longer has facial hair”
After 6 days, portions of Erik’s upper lip, “are still numb and the facial hair loss continues.” I didn’t follow his blog comments any further.

My staff likes to shop around other dental offices, checking to see how our fees compare: for in-office whitening as well as take home whitening kits.

There is a wide range in fees. We keep our fees lower than other offices. Teeth whitening should be a fun, safe and pleasurable experience for patients. Doing it this way actually makes it a great practice builder.

Studies done by unbiased, independent researchers already dispute the claims advertised by manufacturers of certain light activated systems.

Using light activation with bleach or just using bleach alone…. That’s the controversy. Who’s research are you going to believe?

When I first started teeth whitening, I used light activated systems with bleach.

I had to charge a higher price, to cover the costs of the light. I didn’t see whiter teeth with light activation. As far as I could tell, bleach only techniques worked just as well.

My staff of 6 women couldn’t see any difference either. (Women are supposed to have better color vision than men.) So we, as a team, decided to “can” the light !

A chemist named Lee Hansen, a professor at Brigham Young University, has explained that there was an ASSUMPTION that heat generated by the light activated systems, “served as a catalyst to decompose the bleaching gels.”

That premise was very important because decomposition of bleaching gels was supposed to create free radicals….. which caused teeth to whiten.
According to professor Hansen:
a) The lights did not generate enough heat and,
b) did not give off enough UV light to accelerate the chemical reaction!

In addition to professor Hansen’s research a subsequent study done by CRA (Clinical Research Associates), tested teeth whitening systems using bleach only on one side of a patient’s mouth and bleach with light activation on the other side.

All the teeth became whiter….
and there was no difference between either side!

From my own personal experience, I have seen no appreciable difference between light activated and non-light activated teeth whitening systems.

Many of our patients choose an in-office system to get the job done quickly, and then bleach again at home. Others just use the take home kits.

Whatever you decide on

have fun, look good and take care of your smile!

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Tooth Colored Fillings, Inlays, Onlays, Crowns

“What can I do about my old silver fillings?”

“Replace silver fillings with a fresh & natural look!”

Tooth colored fillings come in wide variety of “styles”.

Tooth colored fillings are “invisible” fillings which are completed in one appointment. These are very popular, low cost options.

Inlays are made in two appointments. They are fabricated under magnification for greater precision of fit. Their depth of color and seal against bacteria is superior. Inlays are a substantial upgrade in longevity, function and beauty.

Onlays are similar to inlays in most every way except in size. Think of cavities as being small, medium and large. Inlays fit small cavities, and onlays fit medium sized cavities.
Crowns work best for large cavities.

Crowns: When cavities are large or cusps have broken off, onlays may not be appropriate. A restoration of greater strength may be required. Crowns surround the entire tooth making them a better choice.

Porcelain inlays, onlays and crowns are completed in two appointments. Any one of these restorations can be made to look as good or better than your natural teeth!

“What can I do about chips, gaps and crowded teeth?”

Porcelain veneers are ultra-thin, translucent shells, which are bonded to your teeth. Veneers have become the technique of choice for

treating crooked, chipped, discolored teeth and for closing gaps.

It usually takes two to three appointments to complete veneers.
Your first appointment is diagnosis and treatment planning. This is where design begins! You need to know what porcelain veneers can and cannot do for your specific condition.

At your second appointment, we prepare your teeth for the veneers. We take impressions of the teeth, send them to the lab, then we place your temporary veneers.

When your veneers are ready, we schedule your third appointment. Your veneers are tried in, color adjusted and presented for your approval. Once everything matches to your satisfaction, your veneers are bonded to place.

Veneers revitalize your teeth by concealing wear, damage or defects that show when you smile. With proper care and maintenance your veneers can last for many years.

Many times, your smile is what people remember most about you. Even a subtle enhancement using veneers can make an exceptional difference that really counts!

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What’s the best way to replace missing teeth

Anyone who’s lost a tooth can tell you about the embarrassment of hiding their smile and about their difficulties in speaking and chewing.

Don’t think of this as a problem… think of it as an opportunity with several solutions!

• A (Maryland) bridge is a cost effective, minimally invasive way to replace a single missing tooth. The replacement tooth is held in place by metal or porcelain “wings” which are bonded to the backside of neighboring teeth!
• Sometimes a “cantilever” bridge can replace your missing tooth. This restoration is stronger than a bonded (Maryland) bridge. It uses one crown on the neighboring tooth with your replacement tooth attached to it.
• A traditional bridge spans the space with crowns on either side of the “hole”. Replacement teeth are held in the space by the crowns on each side of the space.

• Implants are artificial “roots” anchored into your jawbone like natural tooth roots

Custom designed replacement teeth attach into the implant “roots”. They look, feel and function like natural teeth. Neighboring teeth are untouched!

Implants help to maintain a more youthful appearance by preventing the bone loss which accompanies the loss of teeth.

More and more people are choosing implants as their preferred tooth replacement therapy. That is because implants can provide permanent, stable, attractive replacement teeth for a life-long smile!

Dr Thomas Tinney   916-683-7222   7915 Laguna Blvd. Suite 105   Elk Grove, CA 95758