whitening
This is one the most desired treatments for patients wishing to improve their smile and appearance. Tooth whitening is achieved by brightening the shade (colour) of the teeth and works well on discoloured and stained teeth.
Tooth whitening should only by done under your dentist’s supervision after a full examination/assessment, as there are dental and medical conditions that conflict with teeth whitening, such as decayed teeth and pregnancy.
Your dentist will start the procedure by first taking some impressions and will construct personal trays that will fit to your teeth. You should never consider the one tray fits all that are for sale commercially. I will explain why later in this section.
A small amount of whitening gel (typically half a syringe per session) is applied in the trays. The trays are worn overnight for a period of time that you control depending on the whitening effect you wish to achieve (usually over 14 sessions).
Following the home treatment we will have a consultation to check the shade and compare pictures before and after, or top up with whitening if you think you want to continue.
How does it work then?
Tooth whitening brings the actual shade (colour) of the teeth up to B1 that is really bright. The secret is in the gels and the fitting of the whitening trays.
The oxygen released from the gels breaks the dark (chemically long-chain molecules) to light coloured ones (chemically short-chain molecules). The longer the gels stay without contamination from the saliva the better it works, so they need to have a really good fit around your teeth. Another reason that the trays need to fit your teeth accurately is that an excess of gel can irritate your gums.
Is it safe?
A lot of people ask me if tooth whitening is safe. It is actually a very safe treatment as long the products and the technique are used correctly. In some cases there can be some sensitivity that is reversible (eases off on its own).
At Ealing Dental Studio I will be very happy to explain to you the range of products available and to choose the most appropriate one for you.
I offer a free whitening consultation as it is important that I illustrate to you the existing shade of your teeth and predict what results can be achieved through the whitening. I will also advise you about what you need to know about the procedure for whitening and answer any queries you have.
Below is an interesting link for whitening: