Drugstore strips fade fast and can leave uneven results — professional Teeth Whitening is calibrated to your enamel, not a generic formula. Smile Center Dentistry checks your enamel and gums before recommending a strength.
Not every patient should use the same concentration of whitening gel, so we don't treat every case the same way. A quick pre-treatment exam takes minutes and prevents a much worse outcome later.
Sensitive teeth get a gentler protocol; we don't push maximum strength on every patient by default. Stronger isn't always better — the right concentration for your enamel matters more than speed.
A quick exam catches issues that whitening over them would only make worse. We'd rather catch a problem now than have you call back in discomfort later.
Both options use professional-grade gel, just at different concentrations and timelines. We help you decide based on your timeline and sensitivity, not just what's more profitable for us.
We proactively manage sensitivity instead of waiting for you to call back in pain. Most sensitivity fades within a day or two when managed properly.
Whitening isn't one-size-fits-all — here's what we offer after checking your shade and sensitivity.
A higher-concentration gel activated in the chair delivers visible results in about an hour. We monitor sensitivity throughout the session rather than applying gel and walking away.
A slower approach for patients who prefer control over the pace and prefer less chair time. We check your progress at a follow-up to confirm even results.
We compare your current shade against a guide before treatment so you have a real baseline, not a guess. This appointment also flags any restorations that won't whiten along with natural teeth.
Desensitizing gel is applied before and after treatment for patients prone to sensitive teeth. Post-visit care instructions are given verbally and in writing.
Take-home touch-up trays let you maintain your shade without a full in-office visit each time. We recommend a schedule based on your diet and habits, not a generic interval.
We're upfront if your case will show slower results and explain why before you spend money. Realistic expectations are set at your shade consult, not after treatment disappoints you.
We ask about sensitivity history when you book, so we're prepared for your specific case.
We check for cavities and gum health, then compare your current shade against a guide.
In-office sessions take about an hour; take-home trays are fitted and explained the same visit.
We schedule touch-ups based on your habits, not a generic calendar reminder.
"They checked my teeth for cavities first, which I didn't expect but appreciated — no surprises during treatment."
"Take-home trays fit perfectly since they were molded to my actual bite, not a generic tray."
"Six months later, a quick touch-up tray kept my results from fading. Way cheaper than starting over."
"Honest about what whitening could and couldn't fix on my teeth — no overselling."
"Had some intrinsic staining from an old medication and they explained upfront it would take longer to lighten. Appreciated not being oversold on a quick fix."
Results vary by starting shade, but most patients see several shades of improvement after in-office treatment. We'll give you a realistic expectation at your consult based on your current shade.
Professional whitening, properly calibrated, doesn't damage healthy enamel — that's why we check your teeth first. Supervised whitening is safer precisely because someone is watching for problems.
Coffee, wine, and tobacco fade results faster — we discuss realistic maintenance based on your habits. A touch-up schedule tailored to your habits helps extend results significantly.
No — restorations don't whiten the same way natural enamel does, which we check for during your consult. Some patients choose to replace an older restoration afterward to match their new shade.
Yes, with an adjusted gel concentration and desensitizing treatment built into your visit. Most sensitive patients tolerate a properly calibrated protocol well.
Both use professional-grade gel; the choice usually comes down to your timeline and sensitivity level. We'll walk through the trade-offs honestly at your shade consult.
Smile Center Dentistry provides Teeth Whitening to patients throughout Lakeshire and neighboring Lakeshire, MO communities. New and existing patients throughout Lakeshire are welcome to book a shade consult first.
Licensed, gentle, and local to Lakeshire — call and ask about your options.
Call +1-866-227-2801