Teeth whitening is an extremely popular procedure for adults of all ages – being a simple, effective and non-invasive way of improving your smile.
Preventive Dentistry offers this procedure as either an in-office or a take-home system.
In-Office Procedure
In-office whitening takes place in our rooms in Braddon. This teeth whitening technique is straightforward and convenient, generally taking slightly over an hour to perform.
A protective barrier is carefully placed over the gums.
Oral hydrogen peroxide whitening gel is applied to the teeth, where it remains for about 15 minutes before being washed off.
The procedure is repeated 3 to 5 times during the session.
After the session, your teeth will be notably lighter. Following an in-office session, you’ll also get a take-home kit so you can further lighten the teeth at home, or perform touch-ups later on.
At-Home Procedure
Our take-home teeth whitening system requires a longer period of time than the in-office application, but is more cost effective and achieves the same results.
It involves the creation of two custom-fitted trays, one each for the upper and lower jaws, tailored to your teeth and designed to fit snugly and comfortably.
You’ll also be provided with a kit containing a carbamide peroxide whitening gel to be applied to the trays. Simply wear the gelled trays for as little as an hour a day, with excellent results usually achieved after 10 days.
The take-home kit can be used for future touch-ups with the purchase of readily available whitening gel from our practice.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
HOW DOES IT WORK?
With both systems the active ingredient penetrates deep into the tooth to chemically break up stains. It doesn’t just work on the surface, it actively and thoroughly lightens each tooth. Unlike whitening toothpastes, professional tooth whitening is non-abrasive on teeth.
IS IT SAFE?
Many years of clinical use and extensive research has shown that whitening is safe and does not weaken teeth.
WHAT KIND OF RESULTS CAN I EXPECT?
With the vast majority of cases, excellent results are achieved and the teeth visibly become several shades lighter, making this a very popular and effective procedure.
Yellowish stained teeth tend to whiten very well and without difficulty.
In rare cases, whitening may be difficult and require longer treatment periods. For example, greyish stains trapped within the tooth caused by the antibiotic tetracycline will often take a long time to whiten.
HOW LONG SHOULD I WHITEN FOR?
Generally, you should whiten until you’re satisfied with the results. Typically the effect can be seen after the first few days of treatment with our take-home whitening kits, and most people achieve the results they want after about 10 days. The decision is yours how long you want to whiten for, but teeth that have already reached a very light shade won’t benefit as much from further efforts.
HOW LONG WILL MY TEETH REMAIN WHITE?
Pigmented food and drink, and smoking amongst other things can cause your teeth to become re-stained over time. Two or three touch-ups per year with the take-home kit are usually enough to keep teeth looking great.
WHAT SHOULD I BE AWARE OF?
Minor irritation of the gums can occur due to the whitening gel. This is generally not painful and resolves within a few days.
It is common to experience some sensitivity of the teeth whilst undergoing whitening treatment and for a few days after.
Foods and drinks that stain teeth such as curries, red wine, coffee and tea should be avoided whilst undergoing treatment.
Contact Preventive Dentistry for appointments or information on teeth whitening.