What is Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening is offered to patients who want that extra special touch – a gleaming, more attractive smile – to their finished orthodontic result.
Whether you are looking for a younger healthier smile, improved self-confidence or a winning smile for your business or social life, teeth whitening is a cost effective and simple way of improving your smile.
Bad habits
Habits such as smoking, drinking red wine or drinking coffee, for example, over a long period of time can cause otherwise good teeth to become stained and unattractive. Teeth whitening is a great way to reverse this effect. It lightens the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the tooth surface enamel.
Professional Bleaching
Professional bleaching is the most common form of tooth whitening. The whitening gel is applied to the teeth using a small, specially made tray which fits into your mouth like a gum-shield. Once your treatment has started, you will need to continue the treatment at home. This means regularly applying the whitening product over two to four weeks, for thirty minutes to one hour per day.
Teeth whitening is suitable for adults but not recommended for anyone under 18.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
If your teeth and gums are healthy and you are not pregnant, it is likely you will be a candidate for whitening. But it isn’t suitable for everyone, which is why it’s imperative to consult a qualified dental professional before considering teeth whitening.
The dentist is your only option if you want your whitening to work and you want it to be safe. Unlike over-the-counter or online products, professional whitening means the dentist can prescribe the highest-strength bleaching agent for you, yet adjust it if it causes any problems, i.e. sensitivity. This means you’ll get the best possible results with the least discomfort.
If you’re interested in whitening your teeth, you will first need to attend a consultation at The Sandstone Dental Practice. Your dentist will carry out a full examination before confirming you’re a good candidate for whitening. If whitening is the right treatment for you, your dentist will take your dental impressions, which will help make your custom-fit bleaching trays will be manufactured. Unlike shop-bought bleaching trays, lab-made trays exactly fit the contours of your gum line, protecting your gums and targeting your teeth more accurately.
No, the whitening gel only affects natural teeth – so if you are having dental restorations such as crowns and bridges, make sure you talk to your dentist about whitening too. It’s recommended that whitening is carried out first, so that your restorations can be colour-matched to your newly brightened teeth.
Whitening is like setting back the clock on the colour of your teeth – so they will start to darken again with age and to collect stains again, just as they would if you’d never had them whitened. The key to keeping your teeth white as long as possible, whether you have them whitened or not, is avoiding the foods and drinks that stain teeth and maintaining your dental hygiene routine. Our hygienist offers air polishing or you can use your bespoke whitening trays for top-up treatments from The Sandstone Dental Practice.