Process

There are several stages you should go through to really get that perfect white smile that will last. Firstly, attend to your general dentistry. This includes treating any fillings or other current issues with your teeth. You wouldn’t put new tyres on a broken down car! Secondly, the dentist will professionally clean your teeth. This will remove staining and any build up of plaque, which turns hard over time and can be hard to remove yourself. You should see a change in your toother colour even from this simple procedure.

Now you begin the tooth whitening process. The dentist will take a mould of your teeth using a substance similar to play dough. This quickly goes hard, and the dentist then has a perfect copy of your teeth. This impression is sent away to a lab, where a special thin mouth guard will be created, moulded exactly to your teeth. When the mouth guard is complete, you will be brought back to the surgery for your first treatment.

One treatment will be enough for many people, but your dentist can advise you on this. The dentist carefully places the active chemicals onto the inside of the mouth guard, and you’ll place the mouth guard on your teeth at this stage. The dentist will check to ensure no chemical is touching your gums, and will treat activate the mixture using a special light. This can take about 20 minutes or so. Once complete, you remove the mouth guard and rinse out your mouth. You’ll be given a mirror to marvel at your new pearly whites! To maintain your smile and really make the most of the treatment, you can also get a take-home kit. This will come with a special bleaching mixture you can place inside your mouth-guard, and wear at night, or for a few hours at a time

Shades

There is no set shade guide in dentistry, leading to a lot of confusion. Various products will promise whitening of at least X or Y shades, but without a standard system, this actually only means something to the company advertising the product. Ask your dentist today, and they’ll advise you on the likely effect tooth whitening would have for you.

Crowns, Bridge, Veneers, dentures and Implants

Tooth whitening only has an affect on natural teeth. Items such as crowns and dentures will not be effected. If you plan on getting veneers, bridges, crowns or other dental work done, you should whiten your teeth first, and match your corwn or veneer to the new colour of your bright smile! If you already have any of the above, you can get a new one placed to match the new colour of your teeth.