Teeth naturally yellow and discolour over a period of time, but smoking and some food and drink can also cause hard-to-shift stains. Teeth can also be discoloured with speckled enamel, white banding or coloured spots, and can be stained during development by certain medications.
We can improve the colour of your teeth with professional home care teeth whitening. We use Philips Zoom whitening products, which offer a safe and effective way to lighten discoloured teeth.
Before beginning treatment, you will need to have a dental examination to check your teeth to see their suitability for whitening, ensuring there is no tooth decay or gum disease present that would first need to be addressed.
We will assess the current colour of your teeth using the VITA shade guide, and together determine what you would like to achieve; the whitest natural shade is VITA B1.
Zoom whitening offers different strength formula, and your dentist will advise on the best strength for you. Treatment usually takes two to three weeks.
We first take impressions of your teeth using a scan or fast-setting dental material, which are sent to the laboratory to make bespoke, high-quality, thin and comfortable mouth trays that fit over your teeth precisely.
You then return to collect your teeth whitening kit and be shown how to apply the whitening gel to your mouth trays and fit them in place. You take home your bespoke kit, apply the whitening gel to your mouth trays and wear them for the time prescribed by your dentist each day. The whitening gel penetrates the tooth enamel and oxidises the pigment bonds in the dentine, which brightens your teeth without damaging them. You do this daily for up to three weeks until you have achieved your lighter, brighter shade.
It may be that you would like to return for a review appointment to check your result and determine if you need any further treatment.
The fee for Zoom whitening is £540 to get your teeth to a naturally lighter colour and includes a review following treatment completion at the clinic. The alternative is to have a virtual review, and therefore only two clinical appointments, which reduces this fee to £440.
Stains can reappear on your teeth over time, especially if you smoke or drink tea, coffee or red wine; you simply purchase extra tubes of your whitening gel (£27 each) to ‘top up’ the treatment for a few days to restore your whiter teeth.
Some frequently asked questions
Whitening is suitable for most people aged over 18, but not if you have gum disease, are pregnant or are breastfeeding. It is not effective on false teeth, crowns, veneers or fillings (including tooth-coloured fillings), so you may have to consider replacing these with paler ones to match the colour of your brighter teeth.
The whitening product may occasionally cause tooth sensitivity during treatment. If this occurs it is transient and will not cause you to have sensitive teeth afterwards. Your dentist will advise you on how to manage sensitivity if it occurs, such as adjusting the duration of time or frequency of wearing your mouth trays.
To help your teeth stay as white as possible you should limit any food and drinks that can stain them, such as deeply coloured fruit and sauces, tea, coffee and red wine and desist from smoking.
The whitening effects depend on many factors, such as your age, previous teeth shade and dietary habits. Your teeth will be whiter for approximately six to twelve months; you can maintain your brighter colour by using your gel to ‘top-up’ the treatment as required.
To book your initial whitening appointment, contact the Welcome Team on 01252 713797 or contact us online.
