Enjoy the confidence of a whiter smile. White teeth can make you look younger, and more attractive. Only whitening performed by a dentist can get your teeth looking their whitest.

 

Whitening is a bleaching process that lightens the discolouration of teeth.

There are many causes of tooth discolouration. The most common include aging and the consumption of staining substances such as coffee, tea, colas, tobacco and red wine. During tooth development consumption of certain antibiotics or excessive fluoride may also cause tooth discolouration.

Almost anyone can benefit from tooth whitening, however treatment may not be as effective on some people as it is on others.

 

Before whitening can be performed, a good standard of oral health must be present otherwise the whitening procedure will not be as effective and some teeth may not lighten due to their condition.

 

Tooth coloured fillings/porcelain crowns or bridges are not affected by the whitening procedure, so any of these that you have on the facings of your teeth may have to be changed to match your new shade.

​

The active whitening ingredient is Hydrogen Peroxide. As it's broken down, oxygen enters the enamel and dentine, bleaching coloured substances while the structure of the tooth is unchanged.

 

At Westmead Dental we offer 2 easy ways to whiten your teeth using the ZOOM Whitening system:

• Chair side Whitening

• Take home DIY Whitening

 

Chair side Whitening

The ZOOM light aids in activating the hydrogen peroxide in the whitening gel and helps it penetrate the surface of the tooth. Studies have shown that the use of the ZOOM light increases the effectiveness of the gel by 26% or more, giving an average improvement of 8 shades in just one visit.

 

During the procedure, sensitivity may occur. Patients may experience 'zingers', which are quick shots of sensitivity traveling through a tooth. They are extremely brief and usually only happen once per tooth.

 

Post-treatment sensitivity can sometimes be experienced, however it is far less common in chair side whitening compared to take home whitening.

 

Chair side whitening can take up to 2 hours to complete - the actual whitening procedure lasts one hour, while the rest of the time is filled with set up and preparation of the mouth for whitening.

 

​

Take Home Whitening

Some people prefer whitening at their convenience, either during the day or at night. High potency gels under dentist supervision are the best way to do this.

 

Custom molded clear trays that offer full coverage of your teeth offer the most even whitening results.

Take home whitening can cause generalised sensitivity throughout the treatment and for some time after.

 

Day White:

This is generally recommended for those who don't already have sensitive teeth and can use a short-wear, high potency gel. Or if you prefer not to wear a nighttime tray. It is worn once or twice day for 15 to 30 minutes for approximately 3 weeks.

 

Nite White:

For those who would prefer to whiten while they sleep or have generally sensitive teeth. It is worn overnight for approximately 3 weeks.

 

​