Teeth Whitening

In-surgery whitening

Using the latest whitening solutions, we can whiten your teeth in as little as an hour! Safe and very effective, your teeth will be between two and eight shades lighter.

We also offer a take-home kit to top up the initial whitening treatment. (This has an added cost on top of your office treatment.) You will be given instructions and advice on the best time to use this, and the continuing results you can expect.
Whitening your teeth will provide an instant lift to your smile, and give you that extra confidence to show it off!

Your gums and lips are protected with barrier materials and a “before” picture is taken.
The whitening gel is applied to your teeth, and the blue light activates it.
You relax. After three cycles of 8 to 20 minutes (just over an hour), the procedure is completed and an “after” picture is taken. You rinse. You smile. Wow!

Clinical studies show that in-surgery whitening procedures can deliver up to eight shades lighter and even more for individuals with darker teeth. Results will vary as the starting points may be different, and everyone’s teeth respond differently. During the consultation, we will go over what you can realistically expect based on your individual situation.

About 10% of our clients may experience a dull ache following the procedure. Taking an analgesic almost always resolves the discomfort. It is best to avoid hot and cold drinks for the first 24 hours. We will provide you with an information sheet on how we can help you reduce the sensitivity as much as possible.

In-surgery whitening treatment cannot change the colour of your crowns, veneers, or bonding. We will recommend the best course of action if we are whitening your teeth and are also fitting crowns, veneers or bonding.

On average, it lasts for two to three years, but the long-term results depend primarily on the individual. Certain habits, such as the use of tobacco products, drinking a lot of coffee, tea, or dark soft drinks, and infrequent visits to the dentist for regular cleanings, etc., can work against the best results.

Regular professional care can help maintain the whiteness for years. Some people may prefer to have the whitening procedure carried out every few years to maintain the whiteness, or choose to simply top up the whitening treatment with a take-home mini whitening kit.

Home whitening

Trays with bleaching gels provide the best combination of the most affordable and most efficient tooth whitening available. Most of the bleaching gels available are exactly the same. There is very little difference from one dentist to another, because the gels are formulated from more or less the same chemical. The only difference between different brands is the concentration of the gels.

The higher the concentration of the gel the faster and better the bleaching process. However, the downside is that the higher the concentration, the more sensitive your teeth become during the bleaching process. You should remember that the sensitivity is only temporary, though.

Most of the bleaching gels available at retail stores are of very poor quality. They’ve been sitting in a warehouse or on a truck for who knows how long – and, because they are designed to be “low cost” (with low cost being sometimes the only consideration), they have very low concentrations of active ingredients.

The process involved in home whitening is as follows:

First we need to make sure your teeth have had a good scale and clean in the last six months. If not, then we need to get them cleaned. After all, you wouldn’t want to just whiten your tartar or calculus, would you?
Impressions/moulds are taken to make special trays that fit your mouth.

The gel is then placed in the trays and the tray inserted in your mouth for a set time suggested by us. Generally, the higher the concentration, the shorter the period of time per day that you leave the gel in your mouth. As you whiten your teeth, carbamide peroxide is broken down and oxygen enters the enamel and dentine. This bleaches out the discoloured areas. The structure of the tooth is not changed – the shade of the tooth is simply made lighter.

The Smile Workx - Dental Services - Cosmetic Dentistry Teeth Whitening Tools
Why do dentists charge differently?

Prices vary between various dentists based on the following:

1.  The type of material that has been used (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide)
2. The concentration of the material provided (2% all the way up to 35%)
3. The number of tubes that have been provided for home whitening
4. The number of cycles in office whitening (one to four cycles).
The Smile Workx - Dental Services - Cosmetic Dentistry Teeth Whitening Before The Smile Workx - Dental Services - Cosmetic Dentistry Teeth Whitening After

Potential problems with tooth whitening

Tooth sensitivity: During the first 24 hours following whitening, many patients experience sensitivity. This sensitivity is usually mild unless your teeth are abnormally sensitive. With in-office whitening, this sensitivity will usually subside within one or two days. With take-home whitening, it may be necessary to reduce the number of hours you wear the tray, or stop using it for a short time, to resolve the sensitivity.

However, if your teeth are abnormally sensitive, whitening may make your teeth much more sensitive for an extended period. Under these circumstances, you may choose to delay whitening until we are able to complete desensitisation procedures.

Gum Irritation: Whitening may cause temporary inflammation of your gums. With in-office whitening, this can be the result of a very small amount of gel leaking under the gum protection. A burning sensation in your gums may also occur. This is a minor problem and will subside within a few days.

With take-home whitening, irritation can result from using the whitening tray for too many hours when you first start whitening, or from using the tray for too many hours in a row without a break. It may be necessary for you to reduce the number of hours you are wearing the tray, or stop using it for a short time to resolve these gum problems. The tray may also overlap your gums, allowing the gel to contact your gums for an extended period. This problem can be resolved by returning to our office so that we can trim the tray to a new position slightly short of your gums.

Sore Throat: Most take-home whitening gel is very thick and will not run down your throat if you overload the tray with gel. However, if your gel is lower in viscosity, the excess may go down your throat and cause soreness. This soreness will subside in a few days. In the event that you feel gel in your mouth or throat, spit out the excess gel instead of swallowing it.

Leaking Fillings or Cavities: Most whitening is indicated for the outside of the teeth (unless you have already had a root canal treatment). However, if you have any fillings that are leaking and the gel gets into the inside of the teeth, damage to the nerves of the tooth could result. In this case, the fillings need to be redone prior to the whitening. In addition, open cavities can also allow gel to reach the nerves of the teeth. For this reason, all cavities should also be filled before whitening.

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