If you have any questions on teeth whitening you have come to the right place. Our frequently asked questions will go through everything you need to know!
Most dental clinics will offer 2 types of teeth whitening. “In chair” (or sometimes referred to as “In Office”) or take home teeth whitening.
In chair teeth whitening is performed by a dentist, or dental hygienist. A gel is applied to your teeth and in some instances they will use an UV light to help with the process.
Take home teeth whitening is where the clinic will make you a custom set of trays, which are very similar to clear plastic aligners or retainers. You will be given some gel to apply in the retainers, which you put in for around 30 minutes a day.
It is very likely you will get sensitivity during the whitening process, and probably for a few days after.
Yes, the sensitivity from whitening does resolve pretty quickly once you stop whitening your teeth. Usually this will resolve with in a few days.
If you are doing take home whitening this sensitivity will usually remain for the period in which you are whitening, so some perseverance is necessary.
Teeth whitening can vary in cost quite significantly. Usually the cost is between $500 to $1,000 for in chair whitening, and between $250 to $500 for take home whitening.
At Dental Sense we charge $599 for in chair whitening and $299 for take home whitening.
We charge $40 for a pack of 4 whitening gel syringes to top up your take home whitening.
Typically health insurance funds don’t cover teeth whitening. However a few funds will give some rebate for the procedure, however it is still often not a high percentage of the cost.
This is usually due to it being fundamentally a cosmetic procedure.
With in chair whitening the results will be almost immediate, however you might find that your teeth do whiten a little more the 24 hours after the procedure.
With take home whitening this will depend on different factors, and also on how white you would like your teeth. Often patients will whiten their teeth for 2 weeks and then assess from there.
If you are wanting to do a dramatic change in the shade of your teeth a longer period of whitening will be required.
This is certainly not the case, and in many instances the opposite might be true for many patients.
In chair typically is a better option for those who either want or need quick results. If you are having it done in a short period of time for an event for example then in chair is likely to be the better option.
If you want more control over the final result and you are happy to whiten your teeth over a few weeks then take home will typically be better. Although it takes longer you are able to stop the treatment when you get the result you are happy with. Obviously there are limits to this, so always follow the instructions and advise given by your dentist.
Patients can opt to use a combination of both, so do in chair whitening initially and then have the take home to keep them white on going.
Yes they will. In much the same way they discoloured in the first place your teeth will start to discolour again.
Avoiding foods and drinks that contribute to staining will help keep your teeth white for as long as possible.
The products that dentists in Australia use are all approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) and therefore meet a high level of standards.
This however does not guarantee that misuse will not cause damage to your teeth.
The most likely issue is the erosion of the enamel on your teeth. The best way to avoid long term damage is to follow the instructions given to you by the dentist. This includes how long and how often to bleach your teeth.
Ensuring that you complete any necessary dental treatment advised by your dentist prior to bleaching is also very important.
Also avoid using abrasive toothpaste or whitening gels as these can scrub the bleaching compound (usually either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) directly in to the tooth surface.
This largely depends on your personal circumstances. Things such as diet and lifestyle choices and also the use of certain medications can lead to premature staining of your teeth.
We do usually suggest that the results will last around 6 to 12 months, however as the staining is a gradual rather than immediate thing, the staining will occur over time almost as soon as we whiten the teeth.
Yes! We strongly encourage patients not to eat or drink anything high in tannins for a week after whitening your teeth.
What are some examples of food and drinks high in tannins?
Other foods and drinks that are highly acidic and have a dark natural colour should also be avoided, such as:
Yes, there are certainly some things you can do prior to teeth whitening to make the process more successful.
We always suggest that you have a check up and clean in the 12 months prior to whitening. This is for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, we need to know if you have any decay. It is strongly advised that any decay is treated prior to whitening. This is due to the fact that it could impact our ability to fill the teeth immediately after whitening. We also should ideally be treating the most urgent issues first.
A clean also will help remove the build up on the teeth, so the treatment is most effective
The use of a product such as Tooth Mousse in the weeks leading up to teeth whitening can help to reduce sensitivity during the whitening process.
More information can be found on Tooth Mousse by clicking here
In short, yes fillings, crowns, implants and bridges can impact the ability to whiten your teeth, in certain instances.
The trouble is that the materials we use in fillings, crowns, implants and bridges won’t whiten, so if you are hoping for a shade whiter than the prosthetic then that becomes more complicated.
If the prosthetic or filling is on a posterior (back) tooth, that is not in your smile line, then it is not a great issue. However if it is an anterior (front) tooth then replacement options need to be discussed.
Usually this will involve replacing the filling, crown or bridge with a shade that matches what you are hoping to achieve
This can obviously make the cost increase fairly significantly. However this is something we would discuss with the patient at the consultation or check up appointment.
If you need any additional information please feel free to give our staff a call on 08 9250 8844 or feel free to email us at dentists@dentalsense.com.au
Opening Hours:
Mon: 8am – 5pm
Tue: 8am – 7pm
Wed: 8am – 6pm
Thu: 8am – 5pm
Fri: 8am – 5pm
Sat: 8am – 1pm
Sun: Closed
