Teeth whitening

The cheapest thing that makes the biggest difference.

Whitening removes nothing and adds nothing. For most people it is the first thing to try, and for a good number of them it is also the last.

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Two ways to do it

In the office

A stronger gel applied under supervision, with your gums protected. One appointment, and you leave with the result.

Custom take-home trays

Trays moulded to your teeth and a lower-strength gel used over a couple of weeks. Slower, gentler, and easy to top up later.

Both, usually

In-office to get there, trays to stay there. The trays are the part that makes the first appointment worth paying for.

Why supervised matters

The internet is full of ways to bleach your teeth badly.

Shop-bought strips and one-size gum shields leak gel onto the gums, which is where the burning and the sensitivity come from. A custom tray holds the gel against the tooth and off the soft tissue.

More importantly, whitening will not touch a crown, a veneer, a white filling or a tooth that has darkened from the inside after a root canal. If you whiten around them you can end up with a more obvious mismatch than you started with. That is a five-minute conversation before, or an expensive problem afterwards.

Questions

Asked often.

Will it make my teeth sensitive?

Some people get short-lived cold sensitivity during the course. It settles within a few days of stopping. Using the trays on alternate nights usually fixes it, and there are desensitising gels if not.

Will it whiten my crowns and fillings?

No. Ceramic and composite do not bleach. If you have visible restorations at the front, whiten first, then replace them to match the new shade.

How long does it last?

Usually a year or two. Coffee, tea, red wine and smoking shorten it. Keeping your trays means a top-up costs the price of a syringe of gel.

How white is too white?

When it stops looking like enamel. We will tell you where that line is for your face rather than just handing you more gel.