Bleaching or whitening is a procedure in which dark or discoloured teeth
can be lightened to produce a whiter, brighter smile.

Techniques

Bleaching is either carried out in the office with the use of light technology or at home with the use of a bleaching gel in custom made bleaching trays. In-office bleaching procedures offer significant shade changes in a relatively short period of time.

Duration

This depends on each individual patient’s teeth, the type of stain or cause of the discolouration. In-office bleaching could take from one to several visits.

At-home bleaching on average, needs 10—14 applications to achieve the desired result. Teeth have a limit to how much they will whiten, and it is difficult to guarantee the expectations of the patient.

Other factors

• It is prudent not to smoke during treatment.
• Best results are obtained when bleaching is preceded by a professional cleaning.
• If side effects become severe, stop the process and contact the office.
• During the treatment period, your mouth should be checked by us to monitor your progress.

Materials

Your at-home bleaching kit will include the bleaching tray(s) and the bleaching solution. The kit comes with a certain number of syringes, and these are generally sufficient to complete the treatment regimen. Should extra syringes be required, these will be charged for separately on a “per syringe” basis. Keep any unused bleaching gel refrigerated to prolong its shelf life.

Unknowns

• People have different expectations, and though the procedure does produce successful results, it may not meet unreasonable expectations.
• Existing white fillings, crowns and bonding will not change colour during the bleaching process. Some of these may not be obvious prior to bleaching, and may only come to light during or after the bleaching procedure. These restorations will need to be replaced after the procedure to achieve a harmonious colour match.

Side effects

• Sensitivity to hot and cold—is transient and will settle down.
• Soft tissue irritation (of gums, tongue and other tissues) is very uncommon, and can be avoided by removing excess material from the tray.
• Jaw discomfort—the presence of the thin rubber tray has caused some minor discomfort to a very few patients.
• There is no evidence that bleaching will adversely effect pregnancy. However, we prefer not to recommend this treatment at this time.