Hi, I am getting 4 new crowns in January. I have used Opalescence for whitening my teeth. I want to get my teeth to right as far as whitening is concerned before I get the crowns. Will you please tell me how many weeks I should do the touch up and how long I should keep the gel on each time? Also I know the whitening keeps working for a while after I stop the touch up, so should I give it a few weeks to take affect before my appointment or what is the right amount of time? – Tonya Miller

Tonya – It concerns us that you didn’t receive details from your dentist on how to effectively whiten your teeth before you receive your crowns. An excellent cosmetic dentist would have discussed teeth whitening with you in detail as part of your treatment plan.

How long you should do your touch-up depends on how white you want your teeth to be. Your teeth will become increasingly whiter, the longer you do the touch-up. The pace of the whitening will get slower, but your teeth will continue to brighten.

How long you leave the gel on with each touch-up treatment depends on how sensitive your teeth are to the bleaching gel. For daytime whitening, you should leave the gel on at least 20 to 30 minutes. If you sleep with the whitening trays on your teeth, the gel is less inhibited by saliva slow while you sleep, and the whitening will be even more effective.

Oxygen bubbles from the bleaching gel continue to whiten your teeth for approximately two weeks after your touch-up treatment is complete. Complete the touch-up at least two full weeks before receiving your porcelain crowns.

Touch-ups are needed every year or two to keep your smile bright. Certain food and drink like coffee, tea, and berries can stain your teeth, so the touch-ups will remove the stains.

A dentist with strong cosmetic dentistry credentials will ensure that your touch-ups are correctly done before you receive your crowns. He or she will also ensure that your crowns perfectly match your natural teeth.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune of Metairie.