Whitenning (Bleaching)

Tooth bleaching treatment can be performed either as an at-home or in the dental office. Both of these treatment these treatments bring about whiter teeth and help create a more vibrant smile.

At-Home Whitening

The most popular method of whitening teeth is the at-home, dentist supervised option. During your visit to the dentist, he or she takes a mold of your teeth and creates a comfortable, customized mouth tray. The mouth tray is filled with a solution whose main ingredient is generally carbamide peroxide, a bleaching agent. The mouth tray ideally only covers the teeth avoiding contact with the gums. Patients wear the mouth tray throughout the night for 2 or 4 hours depending on the solution. When the mouth tray is worn throughout the night, results are seen sooner. Patients with more sensitive teeth may opt for the slower approach, and results show in 3 to 5 weeks.

In-Office Whitening

This treatment generally involves coating the teeth with a paste-like form of carbomide peroxide and activating it with light or heat. Recently some in-office techniques have been effective without light or heat. This technique generally takes one hour in the dental chair and often involves no further at-home treatment. While more convenient than take-home treatment, it is expensive and the results are immediate.Whitening treatments begin to fade in one to four years. It should be noted that tooth whitening treatments have no effect on the artificial materials used for bonds, veneers, or capped teeth.