Teeth Whitening
in Scottsdale
Teeth whitening treatments at Scottsdale Dental Aesthetics can remove most tooth stains and discolouration, leaving your smile several shades whiter and brighter. Choose a single in-office session or custom trays you use at home.
The short answer
Professional whitening uses Opalescence, either in the office for results in one visit or with custom take-home trays over a couple of weeks. It lifts stains from coffee, tea, wine and aging. It does not change the color of crowns, veneers or fillings, so we plan around any existing dental work.
Cosmetic Dentistry
How Do Teeth Become Stained and Discoloured?
Over time the enamel — the outer layer of your teeth — wears down, exposing the yellowish dentine beneath and making teeth look darker. Habits and lifestyle add to it, and so do some medications.
Enamel thinning with age
The outer enamel layer wears down over time, exposing the yellower dentine underneath and making teeth look darker.
Food and drink
Coffee, tea, red wine and dark foods such as berries all stain enamel. Roughly 80% of discolouration comes down to lifestyle.
Smoking
Tar and nicotine leave stains that brushing does not lift.
Medication and treatment
Some medications and medical treatments discolour teeth from the inside, which responds differently to whitening.
What Are Your Teeth Whitening Options?
These are the two whitening options we offer at our Scottsdale practice.
In-Office: Opalescence Boost
A chemically activated whitening gel with a 40% hydrogen peroxide formula, which needs no lights or lasers to work. The gel is applied directly to your teeth and breaks the stains down. The appointment takes about an hour and you leave with a noticeably brighter smile after a single session.
Best for a wedding, reunion or interview — anything with a date on it.
At-Home: Custom Opalescence Trays
Professional-grade gel with trays made to fit your teeth precisely. The personalised fit means the gel sits evenly against the enamel, which both improves the result and reduces sensitivity compared with a one-size strip or boil-and-bite tray.
Best if you would rather whiten gradually, on your own schedule.
What Are the Benefits of Opalescence Whitening?
- Results in about an hour with the in-office treatment
- PF — a potassium nitrate and fluoride blend — reduces sensitivity and strengthens enamel
- Custom trays apply gel evenly, unlike over-the-counter strips
- Supervised by a dentist, so your gums are protected and the shade is checked as it develops
- Costs far less than veneers where discolouration is the only concern
Whitening will not fix everything
Whitening lifts the shade of natural tooth structure. It does not change the shape of a tooth, close a gap, or lighten a crown, veneer or filling. If your concern is shape as well as colour, veneers may be the better route, and we will say so.
Teeth Whitening — FAQ
How long does teeth whitening last?
Most patients keep their results for one to three years, depending on habits. Coffee, tea, red wine and smoking will shorten that. If you have custom at-home trays, a single top-up session every so often maintains the shade without starting over.
Does whitening work on dental restorations like crowns or veneers?
Whitening treatments only work on real teeth. If you have crowns, veneers, fillings, or other restorations, Dr. Omar Karaboulad, DMD, will talk through your options to achieve seamless, balanced results.
Will whitening make my teeth sensitive?
Some temporary sensitivity to hot and cold is common and usually settles within a day or two. The Opalescence gels we use contain PF, a potassium nitrate and fluoride blend that reduces sensitivity while strengthening enamel. Tell us if you already have sensitive teeth and we will adjust the concentration and contact time.
Is in-office or at-home whitening better?
They reach a similar place by different routes. In-office Opalescence Boost takes about an hour and you see the change immediately. Custom at-home trays take one to two weeks of shorter daily sessions. Many patients do the in-office treatment first and keep the trays to maintain it.
Why not just use whitening strips from the pharmacy?
Over-the-counter products use much weaker concentrations and a generic shape that does not follow your gum line, so the gel is applied unevenly and can irritate the gums. High-strength products — over 18% carbamide peroxide or 6% hydrogen peroxide — are restricted to dental professionals, who assess your oral health first.
Am I a candidate for whitening?
Most healthy adults are. We check for untreated decay, gum disease and exposed roots first, because whitening gel on any of those is uncomfortable and can make matters worse. Whitening is also not recommended during pregnancy. If your teeth are dark because of trauma, an old filling or a root canal, whitening alone will not even the shade out and we will talk to you about veneers or bonding instead.
Related treatments
Written by the Scottsdale Dental Aesthetics team. Treatment is provided by Dr. Omar Karaboulad, DMD and Dr. Richard Alverson, DDS.
Last updated . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Call (480) 991-3244 to ask about your own situation.
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