Illuminate Your Smile With Teeth Whitening At Image Dental Care

If you’ve been hiding your smile because of yellow, stained, or dull teeth, you’re not alone. Many past patients have come to our Image Dental Care seeking a whiter, more youthful-looking smile, but worry about sensitivity, disappointing results, or the hassle of at-home kits. We believe teeth whitening in Red Deer should not cause discomfort and be designed just for you.

Our devoted dentist uses trusted whitening solutions to erase years of stains. Our goal is to ensure you either walk out with a noticeably whiter, more radiant smile or are able to easily achieve it in the comfort of your home. All in a caring, judgment-free environment where your comfort and confidence always come first!

What Is Teeth Whitening?

It’s certainly no secret that bright, white smiles are considered appealing professionally and socially. In-office tooth whitening (also called dental bleaching) is a personalized cosmetic procedure, with many different techniques and methods available. Another option is at-home whitening, where patients use custom-fitted trays with a professional-strength bleaching gel. Additionally, there are countless over-the-counter whitening products like strips, gels, rinses, and paint-on films that anyone can buy and use at home. Whitening treatments are designed to be effective on both extrinsic and intrinsic staining.

What Is The Difference Between In-Office and Take-Home Whitening?

At Image Dental Care, we know every smile and every schedule is unique. That’s why we offer both in-office and take-home professional teeth whitening options. Each has its own advantages, so you can choose the treatment that best fits your lifestyle and goals.

In-Office Teeth Whitening: Fast, Dramatic Results

• Experience a noticeably whiter smile in about an hour – perfect before special events or important occasions
• Professional-strength whitening gel activated by a special light for maximum effectiveness
• Relax in our modern dental chair while our team handles everything for you
• Immediate results, with minimal sensitivity and expert supervision throughout
• Great for anyone looking for a “wow” transformation in a single visit

Take-Home Whitening Kits: Convenient, Flexible, Lasting

• Custom-fitted trays made just for your teeth ensure even, comfortable whitening
• Apply professional-strength gel at home, on your own schedule – ideal for busy routines
• See gradual, natural-looking results in 1–2 weeks
• Easy to use, with clear instructions and support from our team whenever you need it
• Perfect for those who prefer to whiten at their own pace, or want touch-ups between dental visits

No matter which option you choose, you’ll get caring and knowledgeable guidance and ongoing support from our team, plus safe, effective whitening personalized to your needs.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

In Office Whitening: During your initial consultation, our dentist will first determine the cause of your tooth discoloration. This could be due to tooth decay, aging, foods and beverages, smoking, medications, or other factors. The dentist will then assess whether bleaching is likely to achieve the results you want and discuss any potential side effects. It's important to remember that dental restorations like crowns and fillings will not be affected by bleaching compounds. This means they may appear darker compared to your newly whitened teeth. Additionally, if your tooth discoloration is irregular (from medication, aging, or fluorosis, for example), bleaching may produce uneven or unsatisfactory results. In these cases, your dentist may recommend other or additional treatments.

Take-Home Whitening: At-home whitening with custom trays involves the patient applying a whitening gel at home. The trays are custom-made in the dental office to ensure a comfortable fit and to prevent the gel from touching the gums. The concentration of peroxide in these systems typically ranges from 10% to 38% carbamide peroxide, and the required treatment time is mainly determined by this concentration. Apart from the customized bleaching trays, we’ll also design a whitening program especially for you!

Candidates for Teeth Whitening

Wondering if teeth whitening is right for you? Most healthy adults and teens are excellent candidates for professional whitening at Image Dental Centre. If you’re looking to remove stains and brighten your natural teeth, you could be a great fit!\

• Are in good overall good oral health: your gums are pink, your last checkup was clear, and any cavities or chips have already been repaired.

• Wish to erase everyday stains: from coffee, tea, red wine, dark sodas, spicy sauces, or years of tobacco use and natural aging.
• Want more punch than drugstore strips: professional gels lighten deep, stubborn pigments quickly and evenly, without the frustration of patchy results.
• Crave a confidence boost: for photos, presentations, first dates, or simply to see a brighter reflection in the mirror each morning.

Extrinsic Vs. Stains: What You Should Know

Extrinsic stains are external, forming from a buildup of colored compounds on the tooth enamel. These are often caused by environmental factors and personal habits, such as:

• Smoking or using other tobacco products.
• Exposure to certain metal salts (like iron or copper).
• Consuming highly pigmented foods and drinks (e.g., red wine, coffee, tea, dark fruits, or cola).

The severity and color of these stains can vary widely and are worsened by poor oral hygiene. Fortunately, many of these stains can be effectively reduced through mechanical cleaning methods, like brushing with a whitening toothpaste or a professional dental cleaning. It’s worth noting that many over-the-counter whitening products (like chewing gums and some toothpastes) are designed primarily to remove these surface stains and have little effect on deeper, intrinsic discoloration.

Intrinsic Stains

Intrinsic stains occur inside the tooth, within the enamel or the underlying dentin. They can result from a number of factors, including:

• Systemic causes: Genetic conditions like dentinogenesis imperfecta or amelogenesis imperfecta.
• Local factors: Issues during tooth development, such as fluorosis or certain childhood antibiotic use (like tetracycline).
• Aging: As enamel thins and becomes more translucent with age, the naturally yellower dentin underneath becomes more visible, making the tooth appear darker.
• Other causes: These can include cavities, amalgam fillings, or issues within the tooth's pulp like bleeding, decomposition, or necrosis.
• Medications: Prolonged use of certain antiseptic mouthrinses, such as chlorhexidine, can also cause intrinsic discoloration.

Aftercare Tips For Post-Whitening

Keep your new glow going strong with these easy, smile-happy habits:

• Stay Hydrated: Use a reusable straw whenever you drink coffee, tea, dark soda, or even green juice. The liquid skips past front teeth, so pigments have less time to cling. Plenty of water keeps saliva flowing. A moist mouth is less hospitable to the sticky plaque film that traps pigments.
• Rinse Your Mouth: Can’t brush after lunch? Swish with plain water for 30 seconds. This quick rinse dilutes stain-causing acids and sugars before they soak in.
• Avoid Dark-Coloured Foods: The brighter the food, the safer the shade: think chicken, cauliflower, rice, bananas. Save deep-colored curries, soy sauce, or berries for one sitting a day, ideally right before you brush.
• Brush with Low-Abrasive Whitening Paste: Look for an RDA (Relative Dentin Abrasivity) below 100. It gently polishes surface stains without scratching enamel, which can actually make teeth attract more color.
• Floss Daily: Stain particles wedge between teeth first. A nightly floss routine stops those dark triangles from creeping in.
• No Smoking and Use Only Sugar-Free Gum: Nicotine stains faster than coffee. Chewing xylitol gum curbs cravings, stimulates saliva (nature’s rinse), and helps you stay on track.
• Use Enamel-Strengthening Products: Nightly fluoride or nano-hydroxyapatite rinses rebuild microscopic enamel pores, making future stains less likely to latch on.

Don’t let stains hold you back from smiling. Discover safe, gentle teeth whitening in Red Deer at Image Dental Care. We’ll explain every step and help you choose the ideal solution – so you can smile with confidence, every day.

Call us today! Your healthiest, brightest smile is just one visit away!