This is the removal of stain from either the inside or the outside of a tooth, by the application of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to the tooth surface.
Tooth whitening is completely harmless and can be done at any age. The whitening or bleaching process can work on all natural teeth, although the degree of whitening and the speed of whitening depend upon the initial colour of the teeth. All man-made materials such as crowns, veneers and fillings do not whiten, but other options can be discussed with your dentist to give you that perfect smile.
In most cases the whitening process is completely painless. However it can cause temporary sensitivity in some people. This can be alleviated with the use of de-sensitising toothpastes or a product we sell at the practice called Tooth Mousse.
The whitening lasts up to three years, gradually diminishing over time. However it can easily be “topped up” at home.
There are two types of whitening available to our patients:
At Home Whitening
- Custom fit trays are made for each individual patient.
- Inside each tray we apply a gel to the surface of the tooth for at least 2 hours per day which whitens the teeth gradually.
- The more often you wear the trays the faster the teeth will whiten.
- At the end of treatment keep the trays so that you can use them to top up the whitening months/years later.
- The total cost of this treatment is £400.
Power Whitening
- This process is done within the practice.
- We whiten the teeth from start to finish in the dental chair.
- It uses a stronger gel than with home whitening and so can make the teeth slightly more sensitive but this is still only temporary.
- Trays can be provided for those that wish to “top up” also after treatment.
- This method is ideal if you have an important event to go to and you want whiter teeth for it.
- The total cost of this treatment is £600.
It is essential that you have regular dental check ups prior to tooth whitening to check that you do not have any tooth decay present.
Some common causes of tooth staining: (click on either links below)