Teeth whitening is a common procedure for many patients. Whether you would like to whiten your teeth for a special occasion, or if you want to add teeth whitening into your oral care routine, most dentists offer in-office and take-home options.
Teeth whitening is a safe cosmetic procedure for people with stained or discoloured teeth.
Teeth naturally darken overtime, and due to a variety of lifestyle factors such as diet and smoking. If you are bothered by the colour of your teeth, professional teeth whitening may not entirely restore their original colour, but it may help to lighten them.
How Teeth Whitening Works
The active ingredients in whitening solution are usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The whitening effect takes place as oxygen acts on the tooth enamel and the active ingredient breaks down.
Most dental office offer in-office treatment as well as as custom at-home treatment.
In-Office Laser Teeth Whitening
In-office laser teeth whitening must be done at your dental office.
Your dentist will begin the procedure by placing a shield on your gums to protect them from the whitening solution. Next, they will use a custom mouth guard-like tray to apply the solution to your teeth.
Once the solution is on your teeth, your dentist will use a dental laser to activate it.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
At your dental office, you can also receive a custom teeth whitening take-home it. You will first be fitted for custom trays which are used used to hold the whitening solution on your teeth. You can even sleep with them in to increase the exposure time.
