Q1. What does tooth whitening involve?
- Initial Visit – One or more visits to the hygienist and a visit to the dentist for impressions to make customized plastic tooth trays
- Whitening Visit – A relaxing hour in the clinic. We’ll firstly protect your gums in one jaw, with a rubber shield, applied as a gel and “set” with a blue light gun. The whitening gel is then applied and activated with the blue light; the process is repeated and then all the chemicals are thoroughly washed away. The same procedure is then applied to the other jaw. On completion you will be shown how to use the home bleaching kit.
- Home Treatment – the home strength whitening gel is placed into the tooth trays (as shown) which are worn for two hours a day, usually whilst relaxing at home in the evening. It is important that this is carried out on a daily basis until the required colour is achieved or until no further colour change occurs – most commonly, up to two weeks.
- Renewal of fillings - For that brighter smile, any visible metal and other discoloured fillings can be replaced by naturally coloured restorations, matching the new shade of your teeth and improving the look of your smile.
- Front tooth edges - especially in the lower jaw, discoloured, worn, chipped and fractured edges to your front teeth may spoil an otherwise improved result. These can be “invisibly repaired” with our new generation of tooth coloured composite restoratives. For such a modest procedure, the cosmetic results are often astounding. No anaesthesia is required and no drilling is necessary. The teeth are prepared with comfortable "micro-abrasion".
Q2. How long will my teeth stay white?
The effects of whitening can last up to three years, however, this will vary from person to person. The effect is less likely to last as long if you smoke, or eat or drink products that can stain your teeth. You can top up the effect with additional gel from the clinic, to be used in the "tooth trays"
Q3. What about home kits?
As tooth whitening is a complicated procedure you should only have it done by a dentist, after a thorough examination and assessment of your teeth.
Over the counter kits only contain a small concentration of the whitening product, so will not be very effective. Some contain mild acids or abrasives, these can cause ulcers and damage to the gums and in some cases, permanent damage to the enamel surface of the teeth.
Whitening toothpaste may help the effect last, once your teeth have been professionally whitened
You may just wish your teeth to be naturally whiter! Professionally carried out within the Clinic, this is a safe and comfortable procedure.
Your teeth can become heavily stained from everyday foods and drinks such as tea, coffee, red wine and many highly coloured vegetables. As we age, the natural yellow colour of the underlying layers of the tooth can start to shine through the enamel. Smoking will also cause a "yellowing" of the teeth. Even with a perfect oral hygiene routine these stains can be difficult to remove.
We use an advanced and simple method from Optident, to lighten the colour of your teeth, with an initial surgery boost and then completion at home.
The best results will be obtained after a visit to the hygienist and when any visible discoloured or metal fillings have been replaced.
....The level of skill with the checkups, diagnoses, and hygiene treatments, is extremely high, and I take that for granted, but more importantly the overall impression is one of efficiency, pleasantness and friendly professionalism.... 