Teeth Whitening
Stained and discoloured teeth can often be of concern for some people; whitening is a simple and safe option to lighten the teeth by several shades.
Whitening of the teeth is achieved by the placement of whitening gel, in custom made trays that are designed to closely fit around the teeth. These trays are worn for 1 to 2 hours each day to gradually lighten the teeth and optimum results usually occur in about two weeks.
Teeth appear discoloured due to various causes and these can be intrinsic or extrinsic. Some examples of extrinsic causes can be consumption of tea, coffee, red wine and nicotine from smoking. Intrinsic causes can be due to tetracycline stains during development of the enamel when young.
There are various methods to improve or make teeth appear less yellow. Although the success of teeth whitening is currently very good, not all teeth can be whitened properly. For example teeth that have been restored will need to have their restorations replaced after teeth whitening is done. Teeth will generally whiten better if they have been scaled and cleaned prior to the whitening procedure.
For these reasons, it is important to have a comprehensive examination of each patient and their individual needs discussed to achieve the best possible result.
