Family Dentistry on Locke
Teeth Whitening in Hamilton, Ontario
Professional teeth whitening at Family Dentistry on Locke starts with an exam, not a shade guide. A drugstore kit or a spa treatment can’t check for cavities or gum disease before whitening over them. We do, every time, at 101 Locke St S in downtown Hamilton, Ontario.
What the visit looks like
- 1. Exam first. Before any whitening, we check for decay, existing fillings, and gum health. Whitening over an untreated cavity doesn't fix the cavity, it just makes it harder to see coming.
- 2. A plan built for your teeth. Sensitivity, existing restorations, and how far you want to go all change the approach. We walk through that with you before we start, not after.
- 3. In-office whitening. Done chairside by our team, with a professional-grade whitening system stronger than anything sold over the counter.
- 4. Take-home whitening kits. For maintenance, we provide whitening kits that can be used at home to retain your beautiful smile in as little as 20 minutes a night.
In-office vs. store-bought kits
At-home strips and trays work slowly and unevenly, especially on teeth with old fillings or crowns, which don’t lighten the same way natural enamel does. In-office whitening is stronger, faster, and happens under supervision that catches problems a mirror at home won’t. If you’ve tried a kit and been disappointed with patchy results, that’s usually why.
How long it takes
Most patients are in and out in a single appointment for the whitening itself. The exam beforehand adds time to that first visit, but it’s not a separate trip. If your teeth are sensitive or you have a lot of existing dental work, we may split treatment into two shorter sessions instead of one long one, that decision gets made at the exam, not guessed at over the phone.
Managing sensitivity
Some sensitivity during or right after whitening is normal and temporary. We factor your sensitivity history into the plan before we start, not after you’re already uncomfortable in the chair. If you’ve avoided whitening in the past because of sensitivity, tell us at the consultation. It changes the approach, it doesn’t rule it out.
What it costs
Take-home maintenance kits run $120. A full in-office visit is $600. Your exam confirms which one fits, and whether existing fillings or crowns change the plan.
Isn't professional whitening just the expensive version of a kit?
Not really. The exam alone catches problems a kit skips past entirely, and the results last longer because the whitening agent used in-office is stronger than what’s legally sold for home use. Patients who’ve tried both usually don’t go back to strips.
Whitening or veneers?
Whitening changes the color of the tooth you already have. It won’t fix a chip, close a gap, or reshape a tooth, that’s what porcelain veneers are for. Both live under our cosmetic dentistry page if you want the full picture before deciding. If you’re not sure which one addresses what’s actually bothering you, that’s exactly what the consultation is for.
OUR LOCATION
101 Locke St South, Hamilton, Ontario
Unit 1A - Condo's on Locke Street parking available nearby
Book your whitening consultation
Call (905) 525-9414 or book online. We're at 101 Locke St S, Suite 1A, Hamilton, Ontario L8P 4A6, in the heart of downtown.
BUSINESS HOURS
Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 6pm
Wednesday 8am - 6pm
Thursday 8am - 6pm
Friday By appointment only
Rated 4.7 out of 5 on Google, 58 reviews
Patients mention feeling looked after, not processed, and that the team explains each step before doing it. We’re LGBTQ+ friendly, and Dr. Nyresa Alves in particular is known for working well with patients who want a slower pace.
