Many of us long to have beautiful pearly-white teeth but are unsure of the processes involved and with so many seemingly different options on the market, it can be confusing to decide which type of teeth whitening might be best for you.
At Bite Dental Studios, our practitioners can help you to make the right choice to lighten and whiten your teeth by asking a few simple questions about your teeth, lifestyle and desired outcome.
What is teeth whitening?
In a nutshell, whitening teeth involves applying hydrogen peroxide gel on the teeth at different strengths and formulas and can also involve the use of lights to activate and speed up the process of bleaching. The hydrogen peroxide works to whiten your teeth by passing into the tooth and breaking down the complex molecules that make your teeth look discoloured.
Different strengths are used for different amounts of time to ensure that teeth can be whitened safely with minimal irritation to gums or teeth. If you have sensitive teeth or gums for example, your practitioner may recommend to use a lower percentage of gel or a formula which contains protective ingredients to minimize any sensitivity symptoms.
Types of teeth whitening available?
In-chair teeth whitening
We offer different types of teeth whitening at Bite Dental including the incredible Philips Zoom! whitening which can take your teeth up to 8 shades whiter in under one hour. This treatment is done in-chair and is really convenient due to the small amount of time needed, plus our practitioner will do everything for you – all you need to do is sit back and relax in our comfy chairs whilst the whitening gel and LED does all the work for you.
This option is particularly good for those with non-sensitive teeth as the percentage of hydrogen peroxide tends to be higher (approximately 14%) and the LED light works to accelerate the bleaching process which can leave you with wonderfully white teeth in as little as 45 minutes.
This is the most efficient way to whiten teeth and is also the more costly option.
At-home teeth whitening
The other way to whiten your teeth is to have moulds taken and custom reusable trays made by your dentist or hygienist at Bite Dental Studios. Once your trays are ready for collection, your dentist or hygienist will also provide you with syringes of whitening gel along with full instructions on how to use them at home. Depending on what is right for your teeth and for your lifestyle, your practitioner will help determine the best percentage and formula for you to use – this typically varies from around 4% to 14%.
At home, you simply squeeze small amounts of gel into the trays and place the trays over your teeth ensuring any excess gel is wiped off the gums.
You then wear these trays for a predetermined amount of time that will be suggested to you by your dentist or hygienist – this can be from 15 minutes to one hour and can be adjusted to suit your lifestyle.
Your practitioner will also suggest how many days you should whiten your teeth for – for a few days up to two weeks – in order to achieve your desired effect.
Re-whitening your teeth
At Bite Dental Studios, we also now have a newer whitening product available as a third option for those who might have either whitened their teeth previously and just want to re-whiten with minimal effort or for those new to the whitening process who want to try it out without committing to purchasing custom moulds.
This process involves using take-home ready to use trays which are made of a heat sensitive material that mould to your own teeth are preloaded with strips of gel inside.
These trays are quick, efficient and disposable which makes them a great alternative for those who want a minimal effort, easy to use product.
Tooth whitening side-effects
In terms of side effects for teeth whitening, some tooth and gum sensitivity can occur but this usually subsides within a few days at most and will not affect your teeth sensitivity in the long term. Your practitioner will be able to guide you to use the whitening treatment at home in the safest possible way.
How to keep your teeth white
It is always recommended to avoid dark or bright coloured foods and drinks during the whitening process and for the few days after you have completed treatment to avoid staining. Once your teeth are whitened to your desired colour, you can simply do a ‘top up’ treatment either in-chair or at home when your teeth begin to discolour again.
Are you ready to find out more about whitening your teeth at Bite Dental Studios? Give us a call on 07 3221 5399, email us smile@bitedental.com.au or book here to find out more or to book your consultation.