If you notice that your teeth appear duller, yellower, or stained, you might feel dissatisfied with the way your smile looks. You can then feel self-conscious about your overall appearance, which can serve as a blow to your confidence.
A dentist can help you brighten your smile and renew self-esteem through targeted teeth whitening offered in their office as well as through take-home kits. But is there an ideal time to schedule this cosmetic dental work? Read on to find advice from your dentist about the best time to book a teeth-whitening appointment at your dentist’s office.
Schedule Whitening Weeks Before a Special Event
Many people decide to whiten their teeth before a special occasion. They might anticipate photos taken at a wedding ceremony or vacation. Or they might want to make a good impression at an interview or reunion.
If you want to get a beautiful bright smile before this event, you likely wonder when to schedule cosmetic treatment at your dentist’s office for the best results. The answer depends on the type of teeth whitening you pursue. For instance, a take-home whitening kit will require one or two weeks of treatment to achieve your ideal results. So you will want to ensure you can complete the process prior to your event.
In-office teeth whitening can give you the white smile of your dreams with one appointment. But you should not procrastinate scheduling your appointment. You want to make sure your dentist is available at the time you prefer them to be.
Your teeth might also need about 48 hours to fully retain the bright results after this treatment. Ensure you leave some wiggle room after your dental work so that you can enjoy foods and beverages freely at your event without worrying about impacting your smile.
Consider Other Planned Dental Work
Some people intend to undergo other types of dental work along with teeth whitening. If this is the case, you might want to whiten your teeth first before receiving other dental fixtures in your mouth.
Porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and dental prosthetics like implants use ceramic caps that attach and seal over a tooth. They can offer smile enhancement and dental protection that will also resist stains. But they will not respond to the bleaching ingredients in this whitening treatment.
So if you want to whiten your smile this way, you should do this first. Then you can see your ideal tooth color without other dental work getting in the way.
Tips for At-Home Teeth Whitening
Dental patients often appreciate the freedom and flexibility that comes with using teeth whitening kits that you can take home. The kits feature custom trays filled with bleaching gel that gradually brighten your tooth color as you wear them. But is there an ideal time to complete this at-home treatment?
Many dentists suggest using your whitening trays before you go to bed. This allows your teeth to recover from the treatment during sleep without worrying that the substances you consume will take advantage of any vulnerability in your teeth that the whitening process might create.