Tooth whitening (or bleaching) is one of the most popular areas of cosmetic dentistry. It has become a routine part of our treatment today for most of our patients. Many factors contribute to the darkening of teeth including age, certain foods and beverages, smoking and certain medications.
There are several techniques to whiten teeth. Our most popular technique is the at-home technique using a bleaching tray with a whitening gel solution. For those patients who want faster results, an in-office procedure can also be performed.
Each whitening process involves placing a bleaching solution in contact with the teeth, causing elimination of stains through oxidation. Studies for over 20 years have shown that no damage to the tooth or gums occur provided that the process is supervised by a dentist. Bleaching results vary from patient to patient based on their starting color and individual circumstances, but all patients can achieve dramatic changes in their tooth color.
