Over time, teeth pick up stains from the food and drink that we consume which can cause teeth to look darker or our faces to look older. As your teeth age, they also get denser and let less light through. Whitening is a fantastic way to improve the colour of your teeth.
What is it?
Tooth whitening is a minimally invasive way to improve the colour of your natural teeth resulting in a lighter & brighter smile, regardless of whether they have darkened with age or from food, drink & tobacco.
How does it work?
Our whitening agent diffuses into the tooth and breaks up any big colour compounds which are present as a result of ageing or from tea, coffee, wine, curries and smoking. Once these big compounds are broken up, they lift out of the tooth surface resulting in a lightening in colour.
In the UK, carbamide peroxide is the main whitening agent used. It is completely safe in individuals who do not have an allergy to it (which is incredibly rare).
How long does it take?
The best way to whiten your teeth is gradually over a 2-4 week period using home whitening trays. This in my opinion produces the best results and the most stable colour at the end of treatment. During treatment, you would need to wear your whitening trays overnight (6-8 hours) for the duration of your whitening time.
What are the benefits?
The biggest benefit of whitening is that your teeth will never go back to their original colour and maintaining that colour is very easy to do. We can provide you with additional whitening agent as needed to ‘top up’ your colour as and when you feel the need. Moreover, it does not damage your natural tooth in the way that crowns or veneers do. This means you keep your natural teeth for longer.
In my experience whitening your teeth is also a great confidence booster! I love to do mine before weddings, holidays and parties to keep them extra sparkly.
In my opinion, whitening is a crucial first stage in any smile makeover as it allows any intervention we provide for aesthetic reasons to be much more conservative whilst still providing amazing results.
Is there anything else I should know?
If you have had any previous tooth-coloured restorations like composite bonding, white fillings, crowns or veneers, they will not whiten. They may need replacing and this will be at an additional cost. I will discuss this with you prior to starting your whitening journey.
Some teeth don’t whiten as well as others and we may need to do some additional treatment to achieve the perfect smile. In this situation, your whitening will optimise the appearance of your teeth, making any treatment we need to do subsequently less invasive.