Teeth Whitening

Research has shown that one of the first things people notice when they meet someone new is their smile. Teeth Whitening has become an accessible and relatively easy way to instantly improve appearance, create a positive first impression and achieve a more youthful and radiant appearance .

Teeth can become discoloured over a period of time. Discolouration can be caused by several factors including ageing, smoking, consumption of staining foods and beverages, staining caused by medication and hereditary factors.

Safe and effective methods of achieving a whiter, brighter smile are now readily available.
We are able to offer a range of teeth whitening options to help enhance, improve and brighten your smile:

Professional In-office teeth whitening is the most popular cosmetic dental procedure in the world today. Unlike home-use whitening systems that incorporate low-dose bleaching agents, in-office whitening (also known as power bleaching, power whitening, professional whitening or chairside whitening) takes place under carefully monitored conditions which allow for the safe, controlled use of a relatively high concentration of bleaching gel – yielding results that are visible immediately.

Advantages of In-Office Whitening
- No other teeth whitening procedure produces faster results.
- Gum and tooth sensitivity (formerly drawbacks to In-office bleaching) are more controllable today due to thicker peroxide gels and the use of desensitizers such as potassium nitrate and fluoride.
Disadvantages of In-Office Whitening
- In-office teeth whitening is more expensive than take-home alternatives such as bleaching trays or whitening strips.
- Results can be unpredictable, depending on factors such as age, heredity and the type of staining that is present.
- In-office teeth whitening is not a permanent solution. Shortly after treatment is completed, the teeth resume accumulating stains. Patient should make an appointment for next In-office teeth whitening (Touch-up whitening) every 4 to 6 months. Many dentists also recommend home maintenance follow-up with a lower-percentage bleach that can be kept on the teeth for longer periods of time.
Stains That are Best Removed with In-Office Whitening

Chairside whitening removes organic stains or discolorations primarily caused by:
- Aging. Over time, the teeth darken with a yellow, brown, green or grey cast (which may be due to heredity and/or eating habits). Yellowed teeth tend to whiten most readily.
- Consumption of certain foods (notably coffee, red wine, sodas and dark-colored vegetables and fruits).
- Tobacco use.
Stains Resistant to In-Office Whitening
- Teeth with certain stains – typically those that are inorganic – do not respond well to in-office whitening. In fact, these teeth may look even darker after the surrounding teeth have been whitened.
- Trauma, which causes the dentin to darken.
- Tetracycline antibiotics ingested during tooth-formation. These drugs chemically bind with the crystalline structure of both the tooth’s enamel and underlying dentin.
- Overexposure to fluoride, which can cause fluorosis, resulting in tooth discoloration.
Are you a Candidate for In-Office Whitening?

This procedure is not suitable for those with the following conditions:
- Tooth and gum hypersensitivity. To avoid a hypersensitive reaction, dentist is likely to recommend take-home bleaching trays with a low concentration of carbamide peroxide – which is not as potent as hydrogen peroxide.
- Deep and intractable staining. Some stains are resistant to high-concentration in-office teeth whitening . In such cases, dentists may recommend a supervised regimen of intensive take-home bleaching or alternatives to peroxide bleaching such as bonding, porcelain crowns or veneers.
- Teeth that have become transparent with age. This is particularly true of the front teeth, which are thin to begin with.
The In-Office Teeth Whitening Procedure

While details may vary, a fairly standard routine is followed.
- A cheek retractor is inserted into the mouth, exposing all the “esthetic zone” teeth (teeth that are visible when you smile).
- A liquid rubber dam or hardening resin is painted onto the gum tissue to protect against any irritation caused by the bleaching gel.
- A bleaching gel containing hydrogen peroxide is applied to the esthetic zone teeth and kept on for approximately 15 minutes.
- Some whitening treatments incorporate an intense light that is focused on the teeth and is said to activate or enhance the bleaching process.
- The bleaching gel is suctioned or washed off, and fresh gel is applied for one or more additional periods of 15 minutes.
- Between gel applications, the teeth are checked to see how well they have whitened, and whether more bleach needs to be applied.

If a satisfactory level of whitening hasn’t been achieved, dentist may recommend follow-up in-office bleaching at a future date, and/or a regimen of take-home bleaching trays.
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