A bright white smile is easier to obtain than most would imagine.
Time and diet can alter the colour of our teeth significantly. Smoking, coffee, tea, and wine can stain our teeth over time. Whitening is the easiest and most affordable way to give your smile a quick makeover.
After your examination appointment, our dentist will discuss your suitability for the procedure, as some patients may not be able to achieve the results desired with whitening alone, although that’s a rare case.
We also suggest that a hygiene appointment be made prior to the whitening process to ensure that there is no plaque or superficial stains on the teeth, because these factors can inhibit the effectiveness of the whitening gel.
There are two types of whitening: In-house and Take-home
At Passion Dental we use the leading whitening system in the market, ZOOM whitening, for both our in-house and take-home procedures.
- For ZOOM in-house whitening, the dentist will prescribe a ZOOM whitening agent. This agent (generally a gel) will be placed on the teeth to remove the stains accumulated over time. As this material is quite strong, a barrier is applied over the gums to protect them from the whitening agent. This procedure takes approximately 60-90minutes. At Passion Dental we include a maintenance kit with our in-house whitening solution to ensure that you keep that new sparkling smile for a long time.The benefit of having ZOOM in-house whitening is that you will see the results immediately. We will also provide you with a bonus take-home whitening kit to refresh your white smile when there are important events to attend.
- For ZOOM take-home whitening, custom-made trays are made for you and a ZOOM whitening agent is given to you to apply daily at home. This procedure takes 7-14 days.
The benefits of take-home whitening are:- It is cheaper than in-house whitening- it’s usually half the cost
- You can control how many shades lighter you would like your teeth to be
Are there any side effects of tooth whitening?
Some patients experience a little sensitivity during and after the procedure, although it goes away within 24 hours. If a patient has particularly sensitive teeth, a few precautions might be advised on the days preceding the procedure, e.g. the use of sensitive toothpaste and tooth mousse.
How long will the whitening last?
Tooth whitening cannot last forever, mainly because of some dietary factors (e.g. wine, coffee, and tea etc.). Teeth will slowly discolour again over time and each person’s time frame will vary depending on their diet.
The good news is that you can increase the life of your pearly white shine with the maintenance kit that we’ll provide you. With your existing trays for the take home kit, you can keep that white smile for many years.
The only product you will need to replenish once you have run out would be your whitening gel, which is very affordable.
Am I guaranteed bright white teeth?
Each person’s enamel is a different shade. Whitening removes the stains accumulated over time and returns your teeth to their natural colour. So if your natural enamel is bright white, then yes, you will achieve a bright white smile.
All patients note a significant change in the shade of their enamel.