Your Victoria Invisalign® Provider
You've seen how teeth whitening works on movie stars and your friends, but how does the process itself operate? Dentists at Victoria shed light on how the teeth-whitening procedure makes your smile more vibrant.
What is teeth whitening?
As we age, our teeth naturally become darker. This gradual change in colour may be a side effect of lifestyle choices like smoking, taking certain medications, drinking dark beverages like tea, coffee, or alcohol, or simply using the product for a long time.
Professional teeth whitening treatments use peroxide-based bleaching agents to lighten the colour of your teeth and reduce the appearance of surface stains. As the peroxide breaks down, oxygen acts on tooth enamel and creates the whitening effect.
Professional Teeth Whitening at Our Office
Professional teeth whitening in the dental office is a popular treatment for many patients, as we can usually complete the full process in one or two sessions.
During your in-office whitening treatment, the dentist will start by placing a rubber shield over your gums to protect them from the whitening solution.
The bleaching solution will then be applied to your teeth using a tiny brush-like applicator. Under a low-heat lamp, the solution will be allowed to work on your teeth for 15 minutes. After clearing the solution, your hygienist will apply the solution once more.
This process usually takes approximately 1 to 2 hours. For some patients, one session may be enough, but depending on your specific case, you may require more treatments to achieve the whitening effect you had in mind.
Professional Teeth Whitening At Home
Look up “how to whiten teeth” online and you’ll soon find a wide range of at-home teeth whitening options. While these present one alternative, they are not quite as strong or as effective as the teeth whitening kits at our Victoria dental office.
The teeth-whitening products we provide include custom bleaching trays and detailed instructions on how to whiten your teeth at home. Additionally, the process will be under your dentist's supervision, and the cost of teeth whitening may be a little lower than with the in-office option.
To begin, you’ll first need to visit the dentist so an impression of your teeth can be taken in order to create custom whitening trays to fit your smile. You’ll use these trays at home to apply the whitening solution yourself.
Once your trays are ready, you will return to the dentist’s office to confirm they are a good fit. Next, you’ll be sent home with the trays, the whitening solution, and clear instructions from your dentist.
At home, you’ll wear the trays for about 30 minutes every day for approximately 2 weeks, until you achieve the desired level of whiteness. Then, you can use the whitening solution to touch up your smile every 6 months or so.