Start with an honest look
Not every set of teeth whitens well, and we would rather tell you that in a five-minute conversation than after you have paid. Whitening works on the natural yellow and brown staining that comes from coffee, tea, wine and simply getting older. It does not change the colour of fillings, crowns or veneers, so if you have a white filling on a front tooth, we point out that it will stay its current shade while the teeth around it lighten. Grey staining from old antibiotics or an injured tooth responds slowly and sometimes not at all.
So before we book anything, we look at your teeth, note the shade, and tell you what result is realistic. If whitening is not the right tool, we say so and talk about what would actually work, which for a single dark tooth might be a veneer or an internal bleach.
Two ways to whiten
In the clinic. You come in for about an hour and a half. We protect your gums with a barrier, apply a high-strength gel to the teeth in three or four cycles, and you leave noticeably lighter, usually several shades. This is the option when you want a result for a wedding or a photo next week.
At home with custom trays. We take a quick scan of your teeth and make thin trays that fit only you. You wear them with a lower-strength gel for an hour a day or overnight, and over about two weeks the shade lightens gradually. Many people prefer this because they control the pace and can stop when they are happy. The trays last for years, so a top-up later costs only the gel.
Many patients do both: a session in the clinic to get most of the way, then trays to finish and to maintain.
Sensitivity, handled
Some sensitivity to cold during and after whitening is common and short-lived. We reduce it by using a desensitising gel before and after treatment, shortening the cycles if you feel it building, and recommending a sensitivity toothpaste for the week before you start. If you already have sensitive teeth, tell us and we adjust the plan rather than pushing through.
Before whitening
Whitening works best on clean teeth, so we schedule it after a checkup and cleaning, or at least within a few months of one. If the exam shows a cavity or a cracked tooth, we treat that first, because gel reaching an exposed area of the tooth is what causes real pain.
If you are planning a crown or a filling on a front tooth, whiten first and wait two weeks. The new restoration is then matched to your lighter shade, not your old one.
Keeping the result
For the first two days after treatment, the teeth are slightly more porous, so we suggest skipping coffee, tea, red wine, curry and anything else that would stain a white shirt. After that, normal life. Brushing twice a day, a cleaning every six months and an occasional night in your trays keeps the shade for years.
Cost
Whitening is cosmetic, so dental insurance does not cover it. We quote a fixed price for in-office treatment and for a set of trays with gel, and you know it before you decide. There is no charge for the consultation where we tell you whether whitening will work for you.
