Tooth Whitening

Tooth Whitening is used to lighten and remove the appearance of staining in tooth enamel.

"Tooth whitening can only alter the colour of natural teeth. It cannot change the colour of any existing crowns, bridges, veneers, dentures, metal or white fillings (called restorations). If any restorations are present (especially at the front of the mouth) prior to tooth whitening, then once bleaching is completed, they may need replacing with new to match the newly whitened teeth and this will involve additional expense".

Zoom or Speed Whitening in 90 Minutes

Although this can give an instant result, it will not be fully effective until it is combined with Home or tray bleaching for one week either before or after Zoom treatment. If you combined with home bleaching, the Zoom effects will fade within weeks.

Long-term, Zoom bleaching is not as effective or as long lasting as Home bleaching, but it has the benefit of time. The cost of Zoom bleaching is the same whether both top or bottom are bleached at the same time, or just the top o bottom teeth by themselves.

Home or Tray Bleaching

A plaster cast is made of the mouth using the cast, a thin transparent mould or tray is made to fit over the teeth. Each day at home and in two thirty sessions, the patient applies the bleaching gel to the inside of the tray and the tray is then placed in position over the teeth which require whitening.

It is impossible to predict how long treatment will take (normally 2 - 5 weeks) as this depends upon how badly stained the teeth were before treatment commenced. Dark or very yellow/tetracyclined teeth take longer to bleach. Tetracycline teeth could take 6 - 12 months.

Although Home bleaching takes far longer to complete in comparison to Zoom whitening, it does however give the best results and has greater longevity. The cost of Home whitening varies according to how many teeth are whitened.

How long does the bleaching last? Will I have to bleach my teeth again?

The results of bleaching are long lasting and cannot actively be reversed. The effect is dependent on what has caused the teeth to discolour in the first place. If you drink lots of coffee, red wine, cola drinks, the effects may darken slightly. Some patients do a top up treatment after 3 - 4 years. In the latter circumstances, a fee is charged for all additional bleaching gel used. Some patients do not need to.

As a first line of treatment, bleaching is ideal in that it is non invasive and does not damage the teeth. The other possibilities for changing the colour of teeth are either the use of composite and porcelain veneers, or crowns. However, the use of porcelain veneers and crowns does require some damage to teeth.

Please note: The chemicals used in the dentist prescribed home bleaching kit has been proven to be perfectly safe on the teeth, cheeks, gum and tissues of the mouth. Possible side affects may include tooth sensitivity and gum tenderness, but this can normally be resolved using sensitive toothpaste. If not, bleaching should cease immediately and the dentist contacted.

Warning: It must be advised that there are problems with the bleaching kits that are purchased over the counter. Although they are inexpensive, they normally contain an acid rinse which can be extremely harmful by dissolving away the enamel of the teeth.

How will my teeth feel?

Normally the teeth feel very clean after the bleaching procedure. The bleaching materials also have an indirect effect on the gums in helping them to heal or improving the health of the gums. This is how the technique was invented as it was first used to heal gum irritation during orthodontic treatment.

Guarantee

No guarantee can be given. The response or otherwise, speed of reaction and final outcome of bleaching varies with each individual and cannot be predicted in advance. If teeth either fail to bleach or do not reach the desired degree of colour change within 6 months of commencement of treatment, then the practice will refund 50% of the bleaching fee on the proviso that the all models, bleaching trays and bleaching gels are returned to the practice. As it is acknowledged that it is very difficult to bleach tetracycline stains, a refund will only be given on the condition that, if after 12 months there has been no change to the original staining.