St. Louis Dentist on Teeth Whitening Treatments Offered at His Cosmetic Dentistry Practice

EUREKA, MO--(Marketwire - Feb 26, 2013) - Teeth whitening is a popular and effective treatment dentists often use to enhance their patients' smiles. As an experienced dentist dedicated to achieving his patients' aesthetic goals, Dr. Jack Griffin, Jr. offers a variety of bleaching options at his center for cosmetic dentistry in St. Louis. He and his staff provide patients the choice between an all-night take-home bleach, a twice-a-day take-home bleach, or an in-office bleaching. Dr. Griffin says he feels providing his patients with multiple teeth whitening options helps him to increase the level of care at his practice, adding, "The choice gives patients some flexibility and control according to their personalities."

When patients seek an out-of-office teeth whitening treatment, Dr. Griffin often asks whether they prefer to bleach overnight or one to two times a day. The St. Louis cosmetic dentist says, "Some patients just can't handle sleeping with a bleaching tray in place while others have TMJ or bruxism appliances that are worn every night. For these patients, it is nice to have materials that are stronger and bleach well with less tray-in-the-mouth time. If they would rather do bleaching twice a day for 30-45 minutes while getting ready for work, school, bed, or yoga, we use 9.5% hydrogen peroxide, Day White (Discus)." He adds that because hydrogen peroxide is stronger than the carbamide peroxide used in overnight treatments, Day White teeth whitening results are typically just as effective as sleeping with a bleaching tray.

For those patients who prefer to bleach while sleeping, Dr. Griffin uses a different solution: "If they choose all-night bleaching, we normally use a 16% Carbamide Peroxide (CP) solution. This material is thick, causes very little sensitivity, and the taste is pleasant." In regards to overnight bleaching results, he says, "Predictable bleaching occurs in one to three weeks and patients are reappointed for one to two weeks to answer questions and reevaluate the procedure. If bleaching is going to too slow for the patient, we will substitute unused material for stronger material."

Dr. Griffin also offers in-office teeth bleaching for patients seeking a faster option. His trained team of hygienists utilizes a powerful bleaching product called ZOOM!® that is known to be fast-acting and very effective. With ZOOM!®, patients can often see multiple shade changes in a one-hour time frame. For optimal results, the St. Louis dentist supplies his patients with take-home products to enhance the ZOOM!® effects. Dr. Griffin adds that whether patients choose a take-home method or an in-office technique, they should always consult their doctor to develop a customized whitening regimen in order to achieve the best results.

About Jack Griffin, Jr. D.M.D.

A graduate of the Southern Illinois University Dental School, Dr. Jack Griffin, Jr. is the founder of Eureka Smile Center located outside of St. Louis, MO. Since 1988, he and his staff have been dedicated to serving the community with the latest cosmetic dental treatments and procedures ranging from teeth whitening to Invisalign®. Dr. Griffin is heavily involved in continuing education and consistently teaches courses to help other dentists improve their level of care. He has completed over 2000 hours of education since graduating from dental school, and he has published a number of dental journals and articles.