What is teeth whitening?
Over the years teeth discolour. Tea, coffee, red wine and curries are some of the worst offenders. The large organic molecules in these foods give them their strong colour but, over time, these molecules get trapped in the enamel of the teeth and can eventually affect the colour.
Professional tooth whitening is a safe, effective way to improve the appearance of your teeth. It works by adding oxygen into the enamel and breaking the large staining molecules into smaller molecules. Some of these will leach out of the teeth and those that remain will be smaller and less obvious, resulting in lighter, younger-looking brilliant white teeth.
Our hygienists also use our fantastic airflow machines which removes staining with no discomfort especially for those with sensitive teeth – this is sometimes all you need.
The professional teeth whitening process
We start by taking impressions of your teeth; these impressions are sent to our specialist lab where technicians create trays that are specifically designed to fit the shape of your arches. At home, you place the whitening gel into the trays, and this is then positioned over your teeth. We normally recommend leaving the tray in place for two to three hours at a time, and a course of treatment usually takes between 2 and 4 weeks. This system gives you the most stable long-term result and puts you in control.
Tooth whitening results
Whilst tooth whitening is effective for most people, we can’t predict the outcome. Some people see a big transformation but for a few the result is a subtler freshening up of the teeth.
The initial treatment process will remove most of the molecules but continued use of strongly coloured food and drink means that colour will, over time, start to reach back into the enamel.
How much is professional teeth whitening?
After the initial treatment, we always advise patients to keep the trays, and treatment can be topped up, usually at the cost of no more than £50 per year.
A number of people experience sensitivity but because of the way we professionally whiten teeth, any areas of sensitivity can be managed.
