Patients often ask for a ‘white celebrity type smile’. This can be achieved, in most cases quite easily, by using a safe, home bleaching technique. Patients are constructed precision fit, custom soft vinyl trays. The whitening agent ,10% carbamide peroxide, is then placed in these trays and worn for a few hours each day, for a period of about 14 to 21 days. For patients that do not wish to wear the trays for long periods each day, we offer a higher strength whitening agent, 6% Hydrogen peroxide solution. This is kept in contact with the teeth for only 45 minutes each day, using the same custom trays for a period of about 14 to 21 days. These procedures are safe and carefully controlled. They produce a ‘bright white smile’ with long lasting results. The trays don’t necessarily have to be worn consecutively every day. Patients can pace the treatment out based upon their own schedule and comfort. The patients are reviewed after their treatment is complete, when “before and after” Whitening treatment results are compared by means of colour digital photographs.
We do not offer single visit bleaching treatments as these involve the use of a very strong bleaching agent which is difficult to handle, can produce undesirable side effects and the long term results are not as good as those achieved with ‘Home Bleaching’ technique. In addition, increased thermal sensitivity of teeth with the use of very high concentration peroxide products can be significant and therefore uncomfortable. The home whitening techniques we offer of either using 10% carbamide peroxide (overnight whitening with custom trays) or 6% Hydrogen Peroxide ( 45 minute whitening with custom trays) are very safe and produce excellent long lasting results. Obviously each case is different and an individual assessment would be carried out at the initial check-up appointment and a recommendation made for the most appropriate technique.
