Tooth Whitening

Tooth whitening is a way of simply changing the colour of the teeth without changing the shape. There are two main methods of whitening teeth: the home whitening kit and in-surgery whitening.

Home whitening
The home whitening kit is provided to be undertaken at home. Impressions of your teeth are taken at the practice, then whitening trays are fabricated. A very small amount of whitening gel is placed into the trays, which are then placed over the teeth. Usually these are worn for 15 minutes/day for an initial 2 week period.

In-surgery whitening (also known as non-laser whitening)
Evidence has shown that the use of the laser light is not effective in the whitening process, and we therefore do not use the laser or dental light during this procedure.
This treatment is provided in the practice. A higher concentration of whitening gel is placed on the teeth. The procedure takes approximately 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes. We normally expect that a minimum of two sessions will be needed to achieve a reasonable change in colour, however some people need more sessions or the home kit additionally.

Ultra Combination packages
The ultra combination package is a system combining the home whitening and in-surgery whitening to achieve the best results.
The amount of whitening varies with the individual. Most patients achieve a change within 2-5 weeks when using the home kit.

Who shouldn't have bleaching?
There are some instances when a dentist may recommend that you do not have bleaching. For example if you have decay, this should be treated before starting any whitening treatments. Similarly, your gums should be healthy, so if you have any gum disease this should be treated.
If your teeth are extremely sensitive to hot and cold food or drinks, or if there are lots of fracture lines on your teeth, bleaching may not be recommended.
Some types of staining (eg tetracycline antibiotic staining) do not respond to bleaching as well as others. Bleaching, if successful, can take longer on tetracycline stained teeth.
Bleaching won't work on false teeth, crowns, veneers or fillings (including tooth-coloured fillings). Instead, your dentist may be able to replace these with lighter ones.
Bleaching is not recommended for children whose teeth are still developing or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

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