Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take?

Every whitening case is different. If you only wish to lighten your teeth a little you will see a difference within 3-4 weeks. Most people reach a shade they are happy with within a couple of months. If your teeth are very heavily stained it can take upto 12 weeks but the dentist should be able to give you some idea how long it will take when they fit the trays.

How long will it last?

This all depends on your lifestyle. If you are a heavy smoker who drinks a gallon of coffee a day and has a curry every night then you're teeth will pick up stains again within a year. BUT the beauty of the system we use is that you always have the trays to hand. If you think after 9 months that your smile could do with a boost, just whiten your teeth again for a couple of days. Some people don't feel the need to boost their whitening for 18 months or more. It is completly personal preference. You are always in control of your whitening as you always have your trays.

Will it damage my teeth?

This type of whitening treatment has been done for some patients for over 40 years. During that time, nobody needed root canal treatment or damaged a tooth following home whitening treatment. Research indicates that using peroxide to whiten teeth is safe and there is new research that indicates the safety for use on the soft tissues of the mouth as well. Of course this being a fairly new treatment the long term effects are as yet unknown, however the majority of staff have whitened there teeth and we wouldn't do it if we thought it might damage them!

Why do you not do laser whitening?

Laser whitening is a quicker way of whitening your teeth HOWEVER it partly does this by de-hydrating the tooth which means as soon as you have a drink the teeth will start to look darker. This technique is newer than tray whitening and therefore hasn't been researched as fully and in some casses they use a stronger whitening agent that again hasn't been tested as fully as the gels we use. The other downside to laser whitening is that it is a one off. As we've mentioned, any whitening will darken over the years but with a tray system you can always top up. Some patients will pay over £500 for laser whitening and be back to square one within 6-9 months.

Why do you only give me my upper tray first?

We like to give our patients their upper tray first then ask them back for a review in a months time. We do this because the whitening is such a gradual, gentle process that unless you have something to compare it to you might not think it's working! We take pictures at the beginning and end of treatment but we find if a patient whitens their upper teeth first, everytime you look in the mirror you can see it working and motivates you to keep going. Don't worry though, as we've said it's very gradual and no one else will notice!

Can I still smoke/drink coffe etc?

The whitening gel works by opening the tiny holes in your tooth surface and releasing oxygen bubbles that enter the tooth and remove the stains. As these little holes are open to let the stains out, they're also able to let stains back in. Therefore while you are whitening (for about 2-3 months) we recommend that you keep coffe drinking and smoking to a minimum. This doesn't mean you have to stop completly it just means that if you can find alternatives, such as herbal teas, then the whitening will work slightly faster.

Will my teeth become sensitive?

As we've mentioned the whitening works by opening the microscopic holes in the tooth surface to let the stains out. This can make the tooth sensitive for some people. If it happens while you are whiteing just stop! That is the beauty of a tray system you are completly in control. Some people like to whiten one day and then not the next and some whiten for an hour and then place sensitive toothpaste in the trays and wear them for an hour. Other people don't experience any sensitivity at all.