There are several teeth whitening methods available to those who want to have their teeth whitened. One of the most popular methods currently is to get a home teeth whitening kit from your dentist. This involves a special customised tray which exactly fits your teeth which the dentist will make for you. The patient will apply a special peroxide gel to the mould and wear it overnight and for a period of 2 weeks.
These home teeth whitening kits work tend to work extremely well. However some people who want to have their teeth whitened are in more of a hurry. For these people laser whitening treatment is the way forward.
In the first part of the treatment the dentist will perform a clean of the surface of the teeth to remove surface staining and tartar. Then, in order to compare the teeth before and after the treatment, the dentist will take a photo of the teeth or make a note of the colour using a colour chart.
The next stage is that a special whitening gel is applied to the teeth and it is important not to get any on the gums so these are covered while the gel is applied. The cheeks and lips are pulled away from the teeth and the eyes are covered so that laser damage does not occur. Now the dentist is ready to shine the laser onto the patient’s teeth. This part of the process lasts for about an hour, and the laser acts as a catalyst which speeds up the whitening process.
In the final part of the process the gel is washed off and another photo is taken of the teeth. The results will usually be fairly dramatic. Sometimes, to enhance the effect further, the patient may use a home whitening kit after the laser whitening treatment, although this is not usually necessary. It is normal to feel a little sensitivity after the laser treatment, although it does not last for very long and dentists can provide you with a special tooth paste to lessen the pain.