Teeth Whitening

Before appointment:

We will carry out an assessment of your teeth to see if whitening will be suitable for you. If you have Crowns, Veneers or Fillings at the front teeth, those will not get whitened with the treatment. If you would like to get those teeth whitened too, then there is an option to replace your Crowns, Veneers or Fillings. We will discuss what the Whitening procedure will entail, how long it will last, possible results and risks with you. The treatment will be over three appointments which we will book with you.

During appointment:

• Appointment 1: We will take impressions of your teeth and send them to lab to make whitening trays
• Appointment 2: We will check the fitting of whitening trays in your mouth. We will give you whitening gel along with trays and detailed instructions on how to use the whitening gel in trays at home. Length of treatment will also be discussed. The shade of your existing teeth will be recorded so that we can compare the results to it later.
• Appointment 3: This is a follow-up appointment to see how well whitening has worked for you. We will take the shade of your teeth and compare it against your old shade. A decision will then be made on to how long to continue further whitening treatment for. Further appointment can be made if needed.

After treatment:

You can expect sensitivity which is usually worst on 3rd day. Please follow all the instructions given to you to tackle sensitivity. This usually occurs to the tooth surface closer to the gum and can be anything from a mild awareness of your teeth to a throb or shooting pain on a specific tooth. 50% of patients experience sensitivity during treatment.

If you do experience sensitivity during your tooth whitening treatment, we recommend you follow these instructions:

• Brushing your teeth using a de-sensitizing toothpaste for 2 weeks before commencing the treatment and throughout the duration of the treatment (e.g. Colgate de-sensitizing toothpaste)
• Apply de-sensitizing toothpaste (SLS free) to the tray and wear the tray for 10-30 minutes before or after the treatment. If used before the treatment, brush any excess paste out of the tray to ensure the tray is clean, dry the tray before applying any tooth whitening gel. (e.g. Sensdoyne toothpaste)
• Miss a day or night, this can help to calm and sooth the teeth. Sensitivity usually occurs after about the 3rd day or night of the treatment.
• Ensure that you only do one application of the tooth whitening gel per day or night, unless you are otherwise informed to do more.
• Change from night to day – wear the trays for 2-4 hours during the day.
• A lower percentage of carbamide peroxide (the active ingredient) can often be prescribed if the sensitivity persists. Please let the dentist or dental hygienist / dental therapist know.