KöR Teeth Whitening in Bethlehem, PA

A brighter smile, at the shade you love, that holds.

If you've whitened your teeth before and wondered whether it really did anything, you're far from alone, and it's the reason I offer KöR whitening at Always About Smiles, our Bethlehem, PA dental office. I worked with other whitening systems early in my career, and I've used KöR ever since: it was designed from the ground up to fix the things that hold ordinary whitening back, from the way the gel is made to the way your trays fit. It's a very different system from the whitening most dental offices use, and your results show it.

Looking closely at your teeth before we begin

Whitening goes best on teeth and gums that are healthy and ready for it, so every KöR course starts with an examination. It's how I find anything we should take care of first, and how I can tell you ahead of time which teeth will brighten and which won't: crowns, veneers and tooth-colored fillings keep the shade they were made in, and deep staining from medication behaves differently from the everyday color that coffee, tea, red wine, tobacco and normal aging leave behind. You'll know what to expect before your first night of whitening.

Keeping the gel fresh from the factory to you

Whitening gel is a lot like the peroxide in the brown bottle at the pharmacy: once it sits in warmth or light, it goes flat and loses its strength, and warm gel also grows more acidic, which is hard on teeth. KöR keeps its gel refrigerated the entire way: it's made and stored cold, shipped to our office on dry ice, and kept in our refrigerator until it's yours. We'll ask you to keep your home supply in the refrigerator too, so the gel that goes into your trays is at full strength every time.

Mixing the gel fresh each time you whiten

KöR's gel isn't the ordinary peroxide gel most systems use. It's a specially formulated gel that comes in three separate chambers, because some of its ingredients start working the moment they meet and would wear out if they were mixed ahead of time. They combine only when you're ready to whiten, so the gel does its work on your teeth, reaching into the enamel to lift out the stains that have settled there over the years.

Custom trays shaped to fit just your teeth

Your KöR trays are made to fit your teeth closely and seal the gel in, and they're shaped to stop at your teeth and leave your gums uncovered. That matters in two ways: your gums stay comfortable, and the natural fluid around your gums, which carries enzymes that break whitening gel down, can't seep in and wear the gel out. With ordinary trays, the gel stops working within the first hour. With KöR's sealed trays, a night of whitening gives you around six hours of active whitening out of every eight hours you wear them, and that difference is what lets your teeth brighten so thoroughly.

Whitening gently, with the gel doing the work

You may have heard of whitening with a special light or a laser. KöR doesn't use either, and I agree with that choice: the light's main effect is heat, and the nerve inside a tooth is very sensitive to heat. KöR's own research found that lights and lasers paired with strong peroxide made teeth more sensitive, and that the chemistry works well without them. With KöR, the fresh gel and the sealed trays do the whitening on their own.

Protecting your teeth while they brighten

Teeth are made up of tiny channels that lead in toward the nerve, and whitening gel that travels down them is what makes teeth feel sensitive. Your KöR kit comes with a desensitizer that seals those channels closed, so cold, heat and the whitening gel can't reach the nerve. It works differently from sensitivity toothpaste, which calms the nerve but leaves the channels open. In all my years with KöR, I've had just two patients whose teeth were too sensitive to keep whitening, and if you notice anything along the way, tell us and we'll adjust your course.

Whitening at home, then finishing in our office

Most of your whitening happens at home while you sleep, with your trays in overnight. At your examination I'll tell you which course suits your teeth and how the weeks ahead will look.

Brightening even deep, stubborn stains

Some staining sits deep inside the tooth, like the gray or banded color that tetracycline antibiotics can leave behind in childhood. KöR makes a course for exactly this kind of staining, and I've used it on teeth that started out nearly as dark as the charcoal-gray cabinets in our treatment rooms. The deepest stains can still show a little afterward, but patients are thrilled with results like that. These cases take more time and patience, and at your examination I'll give you an honest sense of how your teeth are likely to respond.

Keeping your shade with a monthly touch-up

KöR is efficient enough that you choose where to stop: you whiten until your smile looks the way you want, and then you stay there. Once you reach that shade, I'll put you on a simple maintenance program, which usually means wearing your trays with KöR gel for one night a month. Because KöR's gel is fresh and your trays seal it in, the color holds, and that monthly night is usually all it takes.

Planning around crowns, veneers and fillings

If you have crowns, veneers or tooth-colored fillings on your front teeth, we'll plan your whitening around them, since porcelain and composite don't change color. Often the best order is to whiten first and then match any new crown, veneer or bonding to your brighter shade, and I'll walk you through that sequence before we begin.

What is KöR whitening?

KöR is a professional whitening system you use mostly at home, overnight, in custom trays made for your teeth. What sets it apart is the care taken at every step: the gel is kept refrigerated from the day it's made until it goes into your trays, it's mixed fresh each time you whiten, and your trays seal it against your teeth so it keeps working for hours. I've used KöR for most of my career because it whitens more thoroughly and the color holds, and every course at Always About Smiles starts with an examination so it's planned around your teeth.

How is KöR different from the whitening other dental offices offer?

Most whitening, including what many dental offices use, relies on a standard peroxide gel that may have warmed up in storage or shipping, in trays that let saliva and gum fluid in to break it down within the first hour. KöR keeps its gel cold from the factory to your refrigerator, mixes it fresh from three separate chambers, and uses trays that seal it in and stay off your gums, so a night of wear gives you around six hours of active whitening. It uses no lights or lasers, and it comes with a desensitizer that seals the tiny channels in your teeth. Having used other systems early in my career, I can tell you the difference shows in how well the color holds.

How much does KöR whitening cost in Bethlehem, PA?

The fee depends on which KöR course suits your teeth. Call us at (610) 868-9928 and we'll go over it with you, and you'll have the full fee before you start. Dental insurance treats whitening as a cosmetic service and generally doesn't contribute to it. Financing is available, and our Patient Loyalty Program brings substantial savings on your dental care.

How long does KöR whitening take?

It depends on your teeth and your course. Most of the work happens at home while you sleep, and deep staining like tetracycline takes a longer stretch than everyday coffee and tea staining. I'll tell you at your examination which course fits your teeth and how long it's likely to take.

Will KöR whitening make my teeth sensitive?

KöR is built with comfort in mind at every step. The gel stays cold and fresh, so it's far less acidic than gel that has warmed up; there's no whitening light or laser heating your teeth; and your kit includes a desensitizer that seals the tiny channels in your teeth so the gel can't reach the nerve. In all my years using KöR, only two of my patients have had to stop because of sensitivity. If you notice anything along the way, tell us and we'll adjust your course.

How long do KöR whitening results last?

With KöR, your shade holds. Once your smile looks the way you want, you keep it there with a simple touch-up, usually one night a month in your own trays. How much coffee, tea and red wine you enjoy makes some difference, and I'll set up a maintenance routine that fits your life.

Am I a candidate for KöR whitening, or would veneers suit me better?

KöR suits you if your teeth and gums are healthy and what you'd like to change is their color, including deep staining that other whitening hasn't touched. If you'd also like to change the shape of a tooth, close a gap or cover a chip, porcelain veneers can do all of that in one plan, and whitening first often helps the veneers match. I'll tell you honestly at your examination which approach fits your smile.

KöR Teeth Whitening in Bethlehem, PA

  • KöR whitening, the system I've trusted for years
  • A careful look at your teeth before we begin
  • Gel kept cold from the factory to your fridge
  • Custom trays shaped to fit just your teeth
  • Keeping your shade with one night a month
  • Whitening as a first step before bonding or a veneer

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will whitening change the color of my crowns, veneers or fillings?

    No. Porcelain and composite keep the shade they were made in, so they stay the same while your natural teeth brighten around them. I'll point out any restorations this applies to at your examination, so we can plan for them together.

  • Why does KöR whitening gel need to stay cold?

    Whitening gel starts to lose its strength once it warms up, and warm gel also becomes more acidic, which is harder on your teeth. KöR keeps its gel refrigerated from the day it's made, ships it to our office on dry ice, and we keep it in our refrigerator until you take it home. Keep yours in the refrigerator too, and every night of whitening starts with gel at full strength.

  • Do I have to give up coffee, tea or red wine after whitening?

    No, you can keep enjoying them. Over time they'll bring back a little color, and your monthly touch-up night takes care of that.

  • Can KöR whiten teeth stained by tetracycline?

    Yes. KöR makes a course for tetracycline staining, and I've brightened teeth that started out a deep charcoal gray. It takes longer than everyday whitening, and the deepest staining can still show a little, so I'll look at your teeth at your examination and give you an honest sense of what to expect.

  • Should I whiten before having a crown or veneer made?

    Usually, yes. A new crown or veneer is matched to the shade of the teeth beside it, so whitening first means it's matched to your brighter smile. It's one of the simplest pieces of planning we can do, and I'll build it into your treatment sequence.