If you are looking for a minimally invasive way of making a change to your smile, teeth whitening may be right for you. Here, your Surrey dentists share some information about using professional teeth whitening, the expected results and if your teeth are healthy enough to be treated.
As long as you have strong and healthy teeth, professional teeth whitening may be an ideal way for you to help brighten your smile. Before you go diving into the world of teeth whitening treatments there are a few things you should know.
Your smile will need to be assessed by our dental teams in Surrey to confirm that your teeth are healthy enough to undergo whitening treatment. Here are a few of the things to consider before treatment:
Professional Teeth Whitening: Is it right for everyone?
You will have a complete examination prior to beginning teeth whitening treatment. At this visit your dentist will perform a full examination of your teeth and look for any signs of thinning or weakened enamel, or tooth decay which can cause complications during teeth whitening. If your dentist notes any specific dental concerns they may recommend that you avoid teeth whitening but offer other options to change the appearance of your smile such as veneers.
Teeth whitening is ideal for people who have no fillings or other dental restorations, have healthy teeth, and only want to brighten up yellowing teeth.
What can you expect from the results of your teeth whitening treatments?
The teeth whitening process is essentially using a safe for teeth bleach solution to help lighten stains and brighten your teeth. Although generally pretty safe, there is a risk of minor irritation if the solution comes into contact with the gums. This should pass fairly quickly. Once treatment is complete and this has been removed then the sensitivity should subside. As for which results you might realistically expect, dental teeth bleaching can only offer a change in colour from gray to a lighter shade of gray, for example.
Teeth whitening is not a one-size-fits-all solution and each patient will have a different outcome and experience. Visible restorations such as a bridge or crown will not respond to whitening; they will remain the same colour as before.
Along with your take-home teeth whitening kit, we will provide one extra vial of whitening gel, which can be used for your first touch-up. You will have your custom-fitted mouthguard to be used during treatment which you can continue to purchase vials of solution for as needed.
How safe is professional teeth whitening?
Regardless of how healthy your teeth are, our Surrey dentist recommends visiting for a checkup and cleaning once every six months (the frequency of your visits depends on your at-home oral hygiene routine and the general condition of your teeth and gums). You can help to extend the result of your treatment by keeping up with daily oral hygiene including brushing and flossing.