Frequently Asked Questions
Many different questions from clients have been asked about the teeth whitening process in general, as well as queries that pertain specifically to JMISKO products and services. This page will act as an FAQ resource, so that potential, as well as new consumers will know more about these often times difficult and perplexing questions.
JMISKO utilizes two methods for Cosmetic Teeth Whitening. What are they?
First is our chairside light-accelerated power bleaching system. This method uses our photosensitive hydrogen peroxide gel, our signature tray-based, and our Accelerator Lights, which allow us to complete a whitening in as little as 15 minutes with an average shade change of 2-4 shades as measured on a standard dental shade guide.
The second method we have to offer is our take home whitening kits. Offered in moderate and extra strength concentrations, and they also come with our InstaPression™ tray and case, along with complete instructions so that the customer can whiten their teeth at their leisure at home.
What if I want extremely white teeth?
Double Session - If a second 15-minute session is to be done, the client reapplies fresh gel to their teeth and the process is repeated.
Do a lot of people get their teeth whitened?
Cosmetic Teeth Whitening is the #1 requested treatment procedure in a dental office, and is second only to hair treatments in the beauty world. More people than you might imagine have their teeth whitened. A nice bright, white smile can make a big difference in the way a person feels about themselves, and can help boost confidence in almost any social setting.
How long does the process take from start to finish?
The chairside teeth whitening treatment process, takes a minimum of about a half hour from start to finish to do a single treatment, and about 50 minutes total time to do a double teeth whitening session. That includes initial paperwork, pre-treatment prep, and post-treatment finishing and instruction. So, in less than an hour maximum, one can have a whiter smile.
What will I experience during this procedure?
You may feel a slight tingling, bubbling or effervescence against your teeth for the first few minutes. This is normal and is the sign that the gel is producing the oxygen that does the work of bleaching.
Does the process cause damage to teeth enamel?
No, research has shown that bleaching your teeth with peroxide-based gels does not harm the enamel of the teeth. This type of bleaching has been done for over twenty years, even with stronger whitening gels than what JMISKO most often uses, and no damage to enamel has occurred.[i] [ii]
What makes the Cosmetic Teeth Whitening procedure at JMISKO surgical design md superior to all other types of teeth whitening that is available today?
We use only the finest Made-in-the-USA bleaching gels. We use a high intensity, cool, blue visible spectrum light that puts off no heat to cause tooth nerve inflammation. Our new use of water based peroxide gel prevents desiccation and keeps the teeth hydrated during bleaching. This hydration also prevents tooth nerve inflammation, which can lead to strong teeth sensitivity. Ours is the only system on the market that combines these three factors to give our clients the best, fastest, and whitest results with virtually no unpleasant side effects.
Does the whitening process or gels do any damage to the nerves in teeth?
No, the scientific literature shows that neither the gel nor the light will cause any nerve damage.[iii] [iv] [v]
Does the whitening gels cause harm to any dental restoration, such as fillings, bonding, crowns, bridges, partials, dentures, veneers, or implants?
Again, professional dental research has shown that this process will not harm currently used dental restorative materials.[vi]
How long will my teeth stay white?
One to two years is possible and depends greatly on the client’s lifestyle and habits. If one drinks a lot of coffee, tea, dark soda, or red wine, or especially if one smokes, the results will not last as long. These individuals may have to repeat the process more often.
Is the cosmetic teeth whitening procedure safe?
Yes. Extensive clinical research and trials have shown that Cosmetic Teeth Whitening is safe.[vii] Many dentists and dental researchers consider this process to be the safest dental or cosmetic procedure available. JMISKO surgical design md does recommend that no one under the age of 18 years, nor any women that are pregnant or breast feeding, have this procedure done.
Who may benefit from the whitening process?
Almost everyone can benefit from having his or her teeth whitened. Treatment results can vary and one should remember that one’s teeth cannot be bleached whiter than their genetically determined base shade. Certain types of staining from antibiotics or excess fluoride may not whiten as much as those without these discolorations.
Who shouldn’t do this process?
JMISKO surgical design md recommends seeing a dentist first before bleaching to those clients that haven’t seen a dentist in 2 or more years, have open unfilled holes in their teeth, or who have untreated gum disease. Also, as with most elective procedures, we do not recommend Cosmetic Teeth Whitening for any woman that is pregnant or nursing.
Which starting teeth shades respond best to teeth whitening?
In general, if your teeth are stained yellow it will be easier to whiten them. Gray teeth are harder to whiten and don’t respond as well as yellow-stained teeth. If one’s genetically determined base teeth color is yellow (that is, not stained yellow), then those teeth will be considerably harder to bleach white.
Can anyone bleach their teeth so they become “snow-white?”
No. Some people are born with close to snow-white colored teeth, but most have varying shades of yellow, gray, or a combination of both. Cosmetic Teeth Whitening does produce some astounding results, and many will say, “Wow!” after their whitening procedure is completed. The vast majority of our clients are extremely pleased with their results.
I haven’t seen a dentist in 2 (or more) years. Is it OK for me to proceed today with teeth whitening?
No, we recommend seeing a dentist first before beginning a bleaching treatment of any kind. After that amount of time of not seeing a dentist, many unfavorable conditions could exist in a person's mouth, and that person might not even be aware of those problems. When in doubt, always see a dentist first.
I have crowns (caps) or veneers (bonding) on my front teeth. What will this process do to them?
Teeth bleaching will not change any of these restoration's intrinsic (inside) color, however, it may slightly remove some extrinsic (outside) stains. The procedure will not harm dental restorations. If one’s natural teeth are yellower than the restored teeth, then whitening may bring the natural teeth closer in shade to the restored teeth. If the restored teeth are yellower in color, then bleaching will only make the difference in shade greater between them and their naturally colored counterparts. In this case, one may want to bleach their teeth first, then have the restorations redone by their dentist to match the newly bleached color. This, however, can lead to expensive and extensive dental work, so again, consult a dentist first.
I have a temporary crown (or temporary cap, bridge, or veneer) on my teeth. Can I do this process?
No, we recommend that the permanent restorations be placed by the person's dentist before commencing a whitening program.
I have oral piercings or I have braces on my teeth (or a fixed wire retainer). Can I use this teeth whitening process?
If you are in active orthodontic treatment and have bands and/or brackets bonded or cemented to your teeth, please wait until after completion of treatment and all appliances have been removed before commencing any bleaching treatment. A lower tightly bonded lingual (tongue-side) wire retainer that was placed by an orthodontist after regular orthodontic treatment is fine to have in your mouth while bleaching is done.
All oral piercings (tongue, cheeks, lips, or nose) must be removed prior to having any teeth whiting treatments done.
Can I do this process if I have open holes (cavities) in my mouth that haven’t yet been filled by my dentist?
Again, the answer to this question is that these individuals need to be seen by their dentist first and have the condition permanently resolved prior to any form of teeth whitening or teeth bleaching.
My dentist told me I have gum disease that he hasn’t treated yet. Can I do this?
The condition needs to be treated and under control by a dentist before any teeth bleaching is considered; once under control and with the approval of one’s dentist, teeth whitening could then be done.
Is this the same type of teeth bleaching gel that is used by my family dentist?
Yes, we use the same type of peroxide-based teeth bleaching gels as a dentist.
Are there any side effects to having the teeth whitening process done?
Some people may feel a slight tingling sensation or have minor discomfort during or after a teeth-whitening session. A few may have white spots, called blanching, on their gums as well. These effects are transient and quickly dissipate with a few minutes or so. Most people report no discomfort or sensitivity at all during or after their treatment. Different people react in different ways to chemicals and treatments, and this holds true for Cosmetic Teeth Whitening procedures as well as teeth bleaching products. JMISKO surgical design md recommends that if a client is experiencing pain or discomfort during the bleaching process, they should discontinue the treatment immediately and consult their dentist as soon as possible as this may indicate an undiscovered or unknown problem that might be occurring in their mouths.
How long before I can eat or drink anything after completing this process?
We recommend that one should avoid eating or drinking any stain-causing foods or beverages (coffee, tea, cola, red wine, dark fruit juices) for at least 24 hours. If you need to drink these beverages during this time, use a straw to avoid a lengthy contact time with your teeth.
How does the your light differ from the smaller hand-held ones I’ve seen that come with some of the take home kits sold at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, or CVS stores?
For the most part, the light’s wavelength may be approximately the same as ours, but the intensity of these small hand-held lights is much lower and therefore will not work as well or as fast. These lights also come with kits using carbamide peroxide, which does not react as well or as fast as hydrogen peroxide gels do with the addition of a light. The light in this case is more of a gimmick than an actual aid to teeth bleaching, and can help cause the price of these take home kits to be higher than need be.
I have dental insurance. Is the chairside light-assisted Cosmetic Teeth Whitening procedure covered by dental insurance?
No. We are not aware of any dental insurance that has a covered benefit for Cosmetic Teeth Whitening.
What if I get sensitivity after the whitening process?
It is our experience that even though it is unlikely that you will have any discomfort from teeth whitening, if it does occur, we would recommend the use of a Sensodyne™-type toothpaste be used after bleaching. You could also use over-the-counter analgesics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, if you know you can take those products safely.
What kind of results can I expect from your process?
Everyone’s teeth are different. We all have different body chemistry, dental health, genetics, etc. Most people will experience a 2-4 shades whiter difference with a 15-minute treatment, and 5-8 shades difference with a double (two back-to-back 15-minute regimens) treatment session. The new multi-session regimen, which is six 15-minute treatments any way the client wants, doing no more than a double in any 24-hour period, over the next six months, may result in more than 8 shades whiter from start to finish. Overall, over 98% of clients are absolutely thrilled and ecstatic about their treatment results. The “WOW!” factor is huge.
Is our In-Office treatment better than over-the-counter strips or whitening toothpastes?
If one considers speed of action as a primary desirable feature of a teeth whitening system, then the results obtained with our system are much better than strips or so-called whitening toothpastes. The toothpastes available today have a very minor whitening potential as compared to our system. They only slightly lessen extrinsic, not intrinsic, stains. Strips will whiten teeth, but they take at least a month or more to complete treatment and have a known high occurrence of gum/teeth sensitivity.
What do the different percentages of teeth bleaching gels mean?
For example, a 36% carbamide peroxide gel eventually breaks down into a 10-12% hydrogen peroxide in the mouth. It is the eventual hydrogen peroxide concentration that matters because only in this form can it release the oxygen necessary to perform the actual chemical process of bleaching teeth.
The part of my teeth near the gums isn’t as white as the rest of the teeth even after bleaching. Why is this?
The teeth usually have a seamless whitening transition zone from whiter near the biting surface of the tooth to less white near the gum line. This is normal and is an expected result because the tooth enamel is thinner near the gum line and will show through some of the tooth’s naturally yellower inner dentin layer. It is this slight transition that makes the tooth appear to be more natural and not just a monochrome “Chiclet” of a tooth, which looks very unnatural.
I have small white spots on some of my front teeth. How will bleaching affect these spots?
It is normal that certain areas of a tooth that are decalcified will respond and whiten more rapidly than the surrounding tooth structure. The rest of the tooth eventually catches up with the spots and will become more uniform in color as one continues to bleach.
Cited References
[i] Mielczarek A, Klukowska M, Ganowicz M, Kwiatkowska A, Kwasny M. The effects of strip, tray and office peroxide bleaching systems on enamel surfaces in vitro. Dent Mater 2008 Nov; 24 (11): 1495-500
[ii] Haywood VB, Heymann HO. Nightguard vital bleaching. Quintessence Int 1989; 20:173-6
[iii] Zhao Q, Qang JX, Feng ZH. A pathological study of bleaching technique on vital tooth pulp. Chinese Journal of Stomatology. 2007 Dec; 42 (12): 718-19
[iv] Kuk K, Tam L, Hubert M. Effect of light energy on peroxide tooth bleaching. J Am Dent Assoc. 2004; (135): 194-201
[v] Dederich DN, Bushick RD. Lasers in dentistry: Separating science from hype. J Am Dent Assoc. 2004 Feb; (135): 204-212
[vi] Polydorou O, Hellwig E, Auschill TM. The effect of at-home bleaching on the microhardness of six esthetic restorative materials. J Am Dent Assoc 2007 July; 138 (7) 978-984
[vii] Li Y. Tooth bleaching using peroxide-containing agents: current status of safety issues. Compend Contin Educ Dent 1998 Aug; 19 (8) 783-6, 788, 790, quiz 796
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