You’ve seen movie stars and your friends get great results from teeth whitening – but how does the procedure actually work? Our Sydney dentists shed light on how the teeth whitening process brightens your smile.
What is teeth whitening?
Our teeth naturally darken as we age. This gradual change in colour can be caused by lifestyle factors such as drinking dark beverages such as tea, coffee, or alcohol, taking certain medications, smoking, and general wear and tear from years of use.
Professional teeth whitening procedures use bleaching agents with peroxide bases to lighten the shade of your teeth and lessen the visibility of surface stains. As the peroxide decomposes, oxygen interacts with tooth enamel and lightens it.
Professional Teeth Whitening at Our Office
Professional teeth whitening in the dental office is a popular treatment for many patients, as we can usually complete the full process in one or two sessions.
During your in-office whitening treatment, the dentist will start by placing a rubber shield over your gums to protect them from the whitening solution.
The bleaching solution will then be applied to your teeth using a small brush-like applicator. Under a low-heat lamp, the solution will be left to work on your teeth for 15 minutes. Your hygienist will then clear the solution and apply it again.
Normally, this process takes between one and two hours. Some patients might only need one session, but depending on your unique situation, you might need more sessions to get the whitening result you were hoping for.
Professional Teeth Whitening At Home
If you search "how to whiten teeth" online, you'll quickly discover a plethora of at-home teeth whitening options. While these are an option, they are not as strong or as effective as the teeth whitening kits available at our Sydney dental office.
Our teeth-whitening products include custom bleaching trays and detailed instructions for bleaching your teeth at home. Additionally, your dentist will oversee the procedure, and the cost of teeth whitening may be a little less than with the in-office option.
To begin, you'll need to visit the dentist so that an impression of your teeth can be taken in order to create custom whitening trays to fit your smile. You'll use these trays at home to apply the whitening solution yourself.
You will come back to the dentist's office once your trays are prepared to ensure they fit properly. The trays, whitening solution, and detailed instructions from your dentist will then be given to you before being sent home.
At home, you'll wear the trays for 30 minutes every day for about two weeks, or until you reach the desired level of whiteness. The whitening solution can then be used to refresh your smile every 6 months or so.