THE OBJECTIVE: Teeth whitening is a way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the surface enamel. While the procedure cannot make a complete color change, it can lighten the existing shade and make your smile and teeth look brighter.  A full exam and x-rays must be done first to make sure you are a good candidate.

THE PROCEDURE:  May involve one in-office  appointment or a fabrication of a take home whitening kit.  The in-office whitening  appointment  is approximately one hour.   The take home whitening kit involves 2 appointments ½ hour each in office to take impressions  and deliver the kit with instructions to be carried out at home by yourself.  The in-office procedure involves bleaching of the teeth, where a gel is placed on the gums to protect the soft tissue and then a whitening product is applied directly to the tooth surface.  The active ingredient in the product is usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The peroxide is broken down on the tooth surface and oxygen passes into the enamel to make the tooth color lighter over time.   

a)        The at home treatment involves dabbing a small amount of whitening gel inside of your custom made dental tray.  It can be worn once or twice a day for 1 hour for up to 4 weeks.

b)       Immediately after an in office treatment your teeth will be 3-4 shades lighter and may lighten another couple shades in the next few days.  The at home treatment works more slowly, it may take 3-4 weeks to get the same results as the in office treatment.

THE OUTCOME: The teeth should gradually appear whiter and brighter in appearance as a result of this dentistry, although it may take 4-5 weeks before you see the best results. The effects are not permanent but should last for approximately 4 months, and may depend on whether you smoke or continue to consume food or drinks that have a staining effect.

THE RISKS: There are few risks associated with teeth whitening treatment but complications particular to it include temporary tooth sensitivity and sore gums. You may get a sore throat or white patches on the gum line. Teeth whitening can only lighten existing tooth colour and only works on natural teeth. The treatment cannot work on dentures, fillings, crowns and veneers.

THE POPULARITY: Teeth whitening is becoming a very popular procedure for people of all ages and is often used to counter the effects of general discolouration of the teeth, which happens over time, because of food, drink, smoking and natural ageing. Tartar build up (composed of mineral salts, food, and other debris that has hardened over time) can also affect the colour of teeth and some people may have staining under the surface, which can be caused by certain antibiotics or tiny cracks in the teeth which absorb stains