Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is the process of removing stains and discoloration from teeth and improving their colour through a bleaching process to make them look “whiter”.

For heavily stained teeth a significant improvement in their appearance can be achieved following a procedure as simple as a scale and polish from a dental hygienist.

Most cosmetic dental practices offer a combination of in-surgery, immediate teeth whitening and professional take-home tooth whitening kits with custom made trays. Both procedures are based on a bleaching process which uses a peroxide based compound which varies in strength (3-30% peroxide). The higher the concentration of peroxide in the compound the more powerful the bleaching compound is. This means it is more effective at whitening the teeth but at the same time has a greater potential to cause damage to the surrounding gum tissue and lips.