If you’re in California looking for a dentist Placerville clinic, you should find someone who isn’t just willing to whiten, clean, or check your teeth. A good dentist should consider their patient’s overall health as well. Finding a dental professional with whom you are comfortable working should also be one of your considerations. While it’s easy to just search online for a dentist near you, here’s how to find a dentist for teeth whitening:
Consider the Essentials
Having whiter teeth makes you more confident in flashing your smile, so it’s important to consider what would work best for your dental care needs and lifestyle. Here are some things to think about:
- Accessibility of the dental office from your job or home
- Convenience of dental office hours
- Ease of communication between you and the dentist
- License and credibility
- If you have dental insurance coverage, consider if the dentist is within your network
Start the Search
If you’re on the search for a dentist to help with teeth whitening, you may have seen ads on newspapers, online, or in your mail. Some dentists even have social media pages from which you can check their patient reviews. However, you should ensure that you find someone based on your dental health needs. Here are some steps you can do:
- Request for referrals from friends, family, co-workers, or other people you may know. Some of them may know of a dentist they can recommend to you. It would be so much better if they’ve had a teeth whitening procedure with the dentist and had a great experience with the doctor.
- Ask your general physician for their recommendation. Your general provider may know of a credible dentist who can perform your desired dental procedure.
- If you’re moving to a new place, your present dentist may recommend someone with a clinic near you. Dentists usually know fellow dentists from their associations or organizations.
- Check out your state or local dental society, which will have listings in the telephone directory.
- After finding prospect dentists for your procedure, check their websites and social media pages to learn more about the quality of their services.
Meeting the Dentist
In finding the ideal dentist to help you in your dental health goals, you shouldn’t be shy about meeting them before making your decision. It’s recommended to schedule a consultation with the candidate before making the appointment for your teeth whitening procedure. You may want to have your dental records with you in case the dentist wants to check your dental history. With this initial meeting with the dentist, you’ll get the chance to check the office and decide if it’s comfortable, clean, and welcoming. You may ask the following questions:
- Is the teeth whitening procedure safe for me?
Find out if the procedure they’re going to use for teeth whitening involves only safe chemicals, especially if you have special medical conditions.
- How quickly should I see the results?
Since there are several teeth whitening methods, you’d want to ask the dentist how quickly you can expect to see the results of your chosen method. The teeth whitening methods include in-office bleaching, home bleaching using a whitening kit, and the use of bleaching toothpaste.
- Is the method effective in removing deep stains?
If your lifestyle causes deep stains on your teeth, you may have to ensure that you choose a method that’s effective in removing these stains. Otherwise, you may have to choose something more suitable.
- Will the sensitivity of my teeth be affected?
Tooth sensitivity usually results from over-exposure to bleaching solutions, especially if you undergo the in-office whitening procedure.
- Can I whiten my teeth at home?
Teeth whitening at home may be less expensive, but the results will be slower than an in-office method of teeth whitening. If you want immediate results, an in-office teeth bleaching is more suitable.
- How white can my teeth get?
If you’re really going for that sparkling white teeth, ask the dentist if it’s achievable based on the current situation of your teeth. Knowing this will manage your expectations from the results.
- Can you show me before and after photos of previous patients of teeth whitening?
Many doctors will keep a portfolio of their work, including before and after photos of their patients. Request to look at these photos for motivation. These photos can also help you manage your expectations of the results.
Choose someone who is willing to answer your questions and concerns. It’s important that you find a dentist with whom you feel comfortable working.
Final Thoughts
A smile cannot only brighten other people’s days; it also brightens your face. Stained teeth, however, will make you unwilling to flash that smile. Although there are many teeth whitening products available in the market, a good dentist should do a better job in achieving that sparkling white smile. Through recommendations and asking questions during your consultation, you should find a partner towards getting whiter teeth.