Let’s talk teeth whitening – what exactly is it, is it bad for our teeth and what’s the difference between going to a dentist as opposed to a beauty salon for the treatment?
What exactly is teeth whitening?
When asked -“what would you like to improve most about your smile?” The most common response from people was whiter & brighter teeth – this is where teeth whitening comes in.
Teeth whitening is the process of brightening the colour of your natural teeth, removing stains and discoloration.
Above patient Brian (33 years) was unhappy with the shape and colour of his teeth. After discussing various options including Orthodontics, we decided to do a course of tooth whitening followed by cosmetic bonding of his front teeth to change their shape.
Treatment: Tooth Whitening followed by Cosmetic Tooth Bonding.
Duration of treatment: Slow-release whitening followed by one visit in the chair for Cosmetic Bonding.
What happens during the treatment process?
The process is relatively simple, involving just a few steps. Firstly, your teeth and gums are checked to ensure that you are dentally fit and a good candidate for whitening. Then impressions are taken, and a custom-made tray that fits exactly to your mouth will be fabricated. Once the trays fit properly, you will be showed how to use the whitening gel, which is placed in the tray and worn through the night as you sleep. The trays are extremely thin and comfortable to wear, people rarely have any problems sleeping with them.
Is everybody suitable?
Most people are suitable candidates for whitening. However, if you have existing crowns/veneers/fillings on your front teeth- due to the material are unable to whiten.
How long do the teeth whitening effects last?
Teeth whitening results are long-term, but not permanent. People who smoke, or expose their teeth to foods and drinks that cause staining will see the whiteness fade more quickly than those who don’t. Once your whitening trays are made, they can be reused, and it is a simple and inexpensive process to “top-up” from time to time. We recommend topping-up one night every second month to maintain optimum whiteness.
How “white” will my teeth go?
This depends on a number of factors and results will vary between patients. Our system will get your teeth to as white as they will naturally go. Check through our smiles gallery to see some of our patient’s results.
How soon will I see results?
You will see results within a few days – just in time for Christmas!
Is it going to damage my teeth for the future?
Absolutely not- studies of teeth whitening products using Carbamide peroxide showed little to no effect on the hardness or mineral content of a tooth’s enamel surface- this is the
Are there any side effects?
Between 10-20% of people who whiten their teeth experience sensitivity, either during the night when whitening, or the following day. This sensitivity is transient, and normally goes away within 24 hours. Using sensitive toothpastes, or special desensitising gels available from Portobello Dental Clinic will normally alleviate the sensitivity.
It’s cheaper in a Beauty Salon – I’ll just go there…
It’s cheaper for a reason- beauticians cannot check your teeth for decay/defective restorations, they will not be able to diagnose gingivitis nor periodontal disease. They are also unqualified to administer and monitor teeth whitening products.
Dentists are bound by codes of practices including cross infection control measures that are often not in place in such commercial whitening businesses.
The only saving grace is the commercial whitening clinics/beauty salons cannot get access to the same professional strength teeth whitening systems as the dentists (obviously the dental companies only issue their high strength product to Irish & UK registered Dentists). So there is an element of damage limitation, in so far as, the product doesn’t actually work particularly well. The percentages of hydrogen peroxide that commercial whitening businesses/beauty salons can get access to is so low that there is no chance of these whitening products actually working to the same degree as dentist delivered teeth whitening.
It’s been said time and time again- but sometimes spending slightly more now will save you in the long run.
So do you fancy a white Christmas…?
Contact us directly on T: 01 4542022 or see here for our half price Teeth Whitening offer !