If your teeth are sensitive after whitening a mild analgesic such as paracetamol will usually be effective in making you comfortable until your tooth sensitivity returns to normal. Under these circumstances, you may choose to delay the whitening process until we are able to complete desensitisation procedures. However, if your teeth are normally sensitive, whitening may make your teeth more sensitive for an extended period of time. With home whitening, it may be necessary for you to reduce the number of minutes or hours you are wearing the whitening trays or stop using it for several days to resolve the sensitivity. With in-surgery whitening, this sensitivity will usually subside in 1-2 days. This sensitivity is usually mild if your teeth are not normally sensitive. Tooth sensitivity – During the first 24 hours following whitening, some patients experience transient sensitivity. Most sensitivity is usually transient and disappears after one to several days. Wearing your whitening tray – If you choose home whitening, it will only be effective if you conscientiously wear the tray for the prescribed time for the one to two weeks.Ĭomplications – If you experience any severe discomfort or other problems, discontinue the whitening and contact us immediately. The disadvantage to home whitening is that the success of the treatment is dependent on your commitment to wearing the whitening tray consistently for the prescribed period. The advantages of home whitening include performing the treatment when it is convenient for you with lower costs. You should continue treatment for about one to two weeks, depending on the degree of whitening desired. You should wear the gel – filled tray from 45 minutes per day to overnight, depending on your response and the strength of the gel. Home whitening kit – This process, which can be done anywhere and anytime, involves wearing a custom made whitening tray (looks like a thin, transparent mouth guard) filled with a mild whitening agent for optimal results. The disadvantages include the normal inconveniences of any dental treatment, such as, having to keep your mouth open for the duration of the appointment and the increased cost, compared to the home whitening. We do provide you with a home whitening kit as part of this package so that you can continue to whiten at home or top up if necessary. The advantages of In-Surgery whitening include us doing all the work for you and in less total time than you would then spend at home whitening your teeth. The appointment may take up to two hours, depending on how your teeth respond to the whitening gel. In-surgery whitening – This process can be done in one visit. Any current restoration you have, such as, fillings, porcelain crowns, onlays and inlays cannot be whitened. Teeth with many fillings, cavities, chips, etc., are usually best treated by bonding, porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns.People with minimal discolouration, (teeth that are already very white) may not see a substantial degree of whitening.If you are pregnant, obtain permission for your doctor before trying the whitening procedure.People with significant periodontal disease are not good candidates.Multi-coloured teeth, especially if due to tetracycline, do not whiten well.People with dark yellow or yellow-brown teeth tend to whiten better than people with grey or bluish-grey teeth.However, the following cases should be considered: Just about anyone is a candidate for teeth whitening. These are seldom serious enough to discourage you from having your teeth whitened, but should be considered when deciding to have the treatment. However, like any other treatment, it has some inherent risks and limitations. When done properly, the whitening will not harm your teeth or gums. Significant lightening can be achieved in the vast majority of cases, but the results cannot be guaranteed. Teeth whitening is designed to lighten the colour of your teeth.