Teeth Whitening (Dental Bleaching)

About the Procedure

Dental bleaching is a non-surgical procedure for whitening one's teeth. It is ideal for people whose teeth have been stained due to lifestyle choices (such as coffee drinking and smoking), use of antibiotics (such as tetracycline) or just the natural darkening of teeth with age. A wide variety of over the counter, home use dental bleaching methods exist but the in-office methods offered by a dentist remain the most effective with immediate, dramatic and long lasting results.

First, the dentist makes a mold of the patient's teeth. This will be used to create a custom fit whitening tray that will fit the patient's teeth tightly. To protect the gums soft resin dam is placed over them. This is to prevent the whitening agent from coming into contact with and irritating the gums. Next, the custom whitening tray is filled with whitening gel. This gel will contain up to 40% hydrogen peroxide which is between 2 to 15 times the concentration of the whitening gels that are available over the counter. The tray is fitted onto the teeth to be whitened. Finally, the teeth are blasted with focused, blue halogen or LED light for about 15 minutes. The entire process takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete.

What to Know Before the Procedure

It is important to understand the different options for treatment that are available to you. Depending on your goals, you may find that an at home solution is best for you. The results will not be as dramatic and treatment will have to remain consistent for several weeks, but if your goal is simply to whiten your teeth by half a shade it may be more cost effective for you.

Also keep in mind that dental bleaching is not advisable for people whose teeth have been reconstructed with fillers, caps or crowns. These artificial appliances do not respond to whitening in any way. Additionally, in office whitening methods are strong enough to wear away at the tooth's enamel. If you have teeth that are already structurally weak, whitening may not be a good option for you. Discuss these issues with your dentist before committing to the procedure.

What to Know After the Procedure

It is common for patients to feel sensitivity in their teeth, particularly to temperature changes after the procedure. This usually subsides after 72 hours. Results from the treatment are noticeable immediately upon completion. Over the first week after treatment, it is common for the teeth to become visibly less white than they were directly after treatment. After 7 days the whiteness level stabilizes and will only degrade very gradually from that point on.

Be aware that the whitening treatment does not protect your teeth from further staining. Smoking, drinking coffee, tea or red wine as well as eating foods that have a tendency to stain will all degrade the whiteness level of your teeth. Avoid such products if you wish to extend the duration of your results.

If you Need to Travel Outside of your Local Hospital

Dental bleaching is a simple cosmetic procedure that can be performed by nearly any dentist. It does not require a high level of qualification or experience to perform properly. Should you opt for an at home treatment, travel is obviously not necessary. If you decide an in-office procedure is for you, you can safely prioritize convenience and cost factor whether you are looking locally or internationally.