“Walking bleach,” or endodontic whitening, provides a whitening solution for the many patients with one or more non-vital teeth. Non-vital teeth often appear darker than the rest of a patient’s smile due to internal bleeding caused by trauma, the presence of necrotic debris, or pigmentation as a result of previously used endodontic treatment materials. Thus, unlike most whitening cases where discoloration is caused by external staining to vital teeth (usually due to smoking, eating, and/or drinking habits,) as the pre-fix “endo” suggests, endodontic whitening, or walking bleach, is used when discoloration comes from the inside out.

Moisture. It’s the constant battle of dentists everywhere as they fight, on a daily basis, to perform quality, precise work that offers longevity to the patient. This can only be done in the presence of zero to very little moisture, thus, clinicians are constantly looking for effective ways to block and/or slow its flow while they work. One of the “old reliables” dentists turn to time after time remains the rubber dam—a standard, yet polarizing tool that been in most dentist’s bag of tools since its advent by Sanford C. Barnum in 1964.

Compliance can be one of the biggest obstacles when it comes to getting your patients to complete whitening treatments. Some patients simply stopped bleaching because they weren't seeing the results they wanted to see. Whitening is a gradual process, so it is often difficult for patients to notice the changing hue of their teeth, especially when they whiten both arches simultaneously.

The attitude towards temporaries has come a long way since their introduction to the dental industry many years ago. In fact, some dentists say that they used to purposely place less-than-esthetic temporaries on their patients to make sure that the patient would come back for the final restoration! Thank goodness times have changed. With a strong emphasis on esthetic, beautiful smiles, today’s patients want their temporaries to resemble the final result as closely as possible—fitting in seamlessly with the rest of the teeth in both color and luster, until the final restoration is placed. But do the esthetic temporaries that patients now demand create more work for the dentist? Not necessarily..

Everyone’s smile is powerful. A smile can break down barriers, cut through tension, make a stranger feel welcome, and lift a friend’s day. The problem is that many people are too self-conscious to show their unique smile to the world, and Opalescence whitening is on a mission to change that. Whether someone has coffee- or wine-stained teeth, teeth that are a little crooked, or a smile flanked by dimples large or small, everyone has a reason to celebrate their uniqueness. Something that often helps those who are self-conscious about their smile is tooth whitening. However, concerns and questions abound about this hot topic: Will whitening damage my teeth? Exactly how white can I get my teeth? How long will the whitening last? Is the chemical used in tooth whitening toxic? We’re here to help, and in doing so, help your patients embrace their most confident, powerful smile. Let’s get right to it.