Professional teeth whitening uses bleaching agents to remove stains and lighten the colour teeth. Here, our Edmonton dentists explain how the professional teeth whitening process works.
As we age, our teeth naturally become darker. This change in colour can be the result of lifestyle factors such as smoking, consuming dark beverages like coffee and tea, taking certain medications, and general wear and tear.
Professional teeth whitening treatment uses peroxide-based bleaching agents to lighten the colour of your teeth and reduce the appearance of surface stains. Oxygen acts on the tooth enamel as the peroxide breaks down, creating the whitening effect.
Professional Teeth Whitening At Home
The at-home teeth whitening process is a little more time consuming, but the benefit is that you can complete most of the steps in the comfort of your own home.
To get started with the take-home teeth whitening process, you will first need to visit the dentist so an impression of your teeth can be taken, and custom whitening trays can be created for you. You will use these trays at home to apply the whitening solution yourself.
Once the trays are ready, you will return to the dentist's office to ensure that they are a good fit. Your dentist will then send you home with the trays, the whitening solution, and detailed instructions on how to use them.
At home, you will wear the trays for about 30 minutes a day for a two-week period, until the desired level of whiteness is achieved. Thereafter, you can touch up your teeth with the remaining whitening solution every six months or so.