Teeth whitening before and after.
Whitening your teeth is a great way to brighten your appearance. It is safe and gentle and can make you much more confident in your smile. Clinical studies have shown that whitening causes no damage at all to teeth, gums or fillings. You may experience a short-term side effect of tooth sensitivity to cold food or drinks. This shouldn’t last long and can be managed with toothpastes designed for sensitive teeth. Should you have any fillings or crowns in the front of your teeth, you may wish to replace them in order to colour-match to your new whiter teeth.
Two options in whitening are now available. Dr St George will talk to you about which method may suit you.
Zoom! Whitening
This is an advanced whitening technique and can be completed in just one visit. In around one hour your teeth will be significantly whiter and brighter. It’s a great method to use if you are a busy person and it’s much easier than the more traditional whitening method. There will first be a short preparation so your lips and gums are isolated. A whitening gel is then applied to all visible tooth surfaces. This is then activated using a special light which causes the gel to penetrate the teeth and remove stains and discolouration. The whitening can be easily maintained with home touch-ups or minor maintenance visits.
Take Home Bleaching Kit
This method is the more traditional method. It is less expensive but does take a little more time. Your dentist will first make an impression of your teeth and custom fit soft plastic trays. You will then use these trays with a whitening gel which is similar to gel toothpaste in consistency. For most people, 2 – 3 applications will be enough to achieve the desired result. This means you simply use the trays and gel for 2 hours a day, or overnight, whichever suits you best. One benefit of this slower method is that you can control the degree of whitening as it happens gradually over several applications. The whitening should last up to two years; possibly less if you smoke or consume a lot of tea, coffee or red wine. Re-whitening will take fewer applications to restore the whitened colour. Another benefit of this method is that you have the trays to reuse as needed in future. This method also tends to result in less tooth sensitivity than the other method.
Dr St George can talk through whitening options to help you make the best choice for you.