Acquiring a bright smile, whether using whitening strips or with a custom procedure, might seem like a recent dental advancement for cosmetic dentistry. In reality, the art of teeth whitening is a technique that has been around in some form for centuries.
The practice of teeth whitening began around 4,000 years ago. The Egyptians created a tooth whitening paste using ground pumice stone mixed in wine vinegar. White teeth were a mark of beauty and a sign of wealth. Fast forward to today, and we have various methods of whitening teeth, from over-the-counter take-home strips to in-office techniques, to jump start and brighten smiles faster than ever before.
Unfortunately, the drugstore products and do-it-yourself mall kiosks have relegated teeth whitening to a commodity in many cases. The in-office tooth bleaching procedure can be time intensive: place the rubber dam, apply the bleaching gel, and possibly activate a light. Then the patient sits and waits for removal of the trays. The patient often receives a custom tray with more bleaching gel. This becomes a large expense to the practice in both time and money. What if you could get similar tooth whitening results without the time and expense of other in-office techniques? Patients also love the idea of a less time-consuming procedure that doesn’t require repeat visits.
With Sheer White! in-office and take-home whitening strips from the CAO Group of West Jordan, Utah, you can get great teeth whitening results in just minutes of chair time. With no retraction or soft-tissue isolation necessary, Sheer White! in-office using Comfort Fit technology adapts to teeth and keeps the strip in place. With its 20% hydrogen peroxide formulation, patients have a pleasant whitening experience with less sensitivity and no effect on daily activities. There’s no more lost chair time with an uncomfortable patient sitting for extended periods of time. As an added bonus, your staff will be free to work with patients. The product costs less and patients love it.
Many dentists are concerned about patient sensitivity. There is minimal to no sensitivity as the Sheer White! strips are approximately 7 pH. This neutral pH removes a major negative as patients and dentists choose which tooth whitening procedure to use.
Once a patient has been identified as a candidate for teeth whitening, you can then discuss treatment choices and recommendations, as well as have the patient sign an informed consent form. At this point the clinician takes appropriate photographs and determines a preoperative shade.
When the patient is in my dental chair, I place cotton rolls to keep the lips out of the way. Remove the Sheer White! package from the refrigerator, open the package, and expose the strip. The active surface of the strip is facing up.
Center the strip over the patient’s teeth. Apply at the gumline. Be careful; the strips are sticky! Push the strip against the back teeth, then fold it over and press it firmly onto the teeth. As an option, the clinician can go in with a composite instrument and festoon the strip along the line angles of the teeth to ensure intimate contact of the strip and the tooth. This will assure that there is no gingival contact. It is important to check all gingival surfaces to make sure the strip does not remain in contact with soft tissues. Instruct the patient not to remove the strip for at least 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, remove the strip by pulling down on it from the anterior teeth, and take the strip out of the mouth. Instruct the patient to brush the adhesive from his or her teeth. Dispose of the strip.
The patient can also purchase a package of Sheer White! take-home whitening strips (or the dentist may opt to give one away) from the clinician. These strips are easy to apply, and they adapt tightly to the shape of each patient’s teeth with no leakage. With its 20% carbamide peroxide formulation, patients have a pleasant whitening experience with no inconvenience on their daily activities. They can speak normally and even have a drink while wearing Sheer White!
The patient can expect teeth up to eight shades lighter with the use of Sheer White! in-office and take-home strips. Your patients will enjoy the comfort of knowing a dental practitioner is caring for their teeth, as well as the convenience of whitening while living life normally. For more information, call (877) 236-4408 or visit sheerwhitestrips.com.
Marty Jablow, DMD, is the chief development officer of Cellerant Consulting Group.
