Tooth Whitening

Teeth whitening has become one of the most popular ways to enhance a smile by lightening the existing shade of the natural teeth. It is a simple and effective treatment that can be done in the convenience of your home, or alternately in one hour in surgery. There are many reasons why teeth can become discoloured. They are Tea, coffee and red wine, food with strong colourings, smoking, medications, ageing and developmental stained teeth. Some teeth do not respond well to bleaching and this can often be difficult to determine. There are also side effects of tooth whitening. The most common are tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. These side effects are temporary and in consultation with us, we are able to manage and minimise them. The two main types of tooth whitening are in surgery and at home deliveries.

In surgery tooth whitening

Thirroul Dental Care has ZOOM whitening, where the procedure and whitening is achieved in the surgery in just over an hour. After an initial consultation with our dentists, a 90-minute appointment will be made for you. At this appointment, your gums are protected by a rubber coating, and all soft tissues are protected with barriers. A peroxide based gel is then applied to your teeth and the ZOOM light placed over your mouth for 15 minutes. This is done a maximum of three times or until the desired level of bleaching is achieved. The results are immediate and we also provide you with a maintenance kit to touch up in the future.

Take Home Method

This tooth whitening method is a treatment that you would do yourself at home. First we take impressions of your teeth with a soft putty. From these impressions, we are able to fabricate custom made trays specifically designed for your teeth only. These trays are then filled with a peroxide based gel and then placed in your mouth for a period of time, either overnight or for 60 minutes twice a day for 7 to 14 days to achieve a desired result. The degree of whitening will vary from patient to patient. Darker teeth will take longer and lighter teeth may not bleach much.

Home whitening. There are many ways of delivering home bleaching. The most common is where impressions are taken of your teeth with a soft putty and custom trays made. There are now easier and quicker delivery methods. The two most commonly used are preloaded whitening trays which are discarded after one use. The trays are placed in the mouth for up to 60 minutes depending on the concentration of bleach recommended by our dentists.