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| What is it? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The colour of your teeth can be lightened with Carbamide Peroxide, used either on the outside or the inside of your tooth or teeth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Like hair and skin, teeth vary in colour. Some are yellower or darker than others, even when they are quite healthy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Teeth sometimes darken if their roots have been diseased. A change in colour is caused by blood from the root canal. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tooth bleaching is completely safe as long as the bleach does not touch your gums and burn them. Dentists use a special jelly bleach. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What will my dentist do? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| For a tooth which is dark inside, the bleach is put in the root canal temporarily, before or after the tooth is root filled. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| There are two ways of bleaching the outside of teeth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The dentist may give you a weak bleach jelly to use at home in a tray which fits closely round your teeth. The tray makes sure that jelly does not burn your gums. You will need to use the tray for an hour or two a day, for up to six weeks. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A dental technician will make the tray you use for bleaching your teeth at home from an impression of your teeth that your dentist has made. Your dentist will check the tray fits and show you how to put the jelly in the tray at home. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your dentist can use a stronger bleach jelly. Dentists use this method to bleach all the teeth at the same time in either your upper or lower jaw. The strong bleach will touch the teeth for less time than with home bleaching. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| If your dentist uses a stronger bleach, they will protect your gums. They will paint the bleach onto the teeth and heat it with a light for a few minutes. They will then wash it off with water. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your dentist will make a note of your tooth colour using model teeth in different shades before they treat you. Look at the colour match yourself before the treatment so you can compare it with the colour after bleaching. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Your teeth may be sensitive to hot and cold food and drink for a few days after bleaching. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What are the benefits? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bleaching improves the appearance of your teeth without removing any of the natural tooth surface. Bleaching is a better option than a crown or veneer if you want to lighten the colour of healthy teeth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| What is the cost? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Whitening all your upper and lower teeth will cost £300. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bleaching does not alter the colour of existing crowns or fillings. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||