Teeth whitening: frequently asked questions

What does teeth whitening involve?

External whitening is carried out on any tooth which has not been subjected to endodontic treatment. It involves the placing of whitening on the surface of the tooth.

Procedure:

  1. In the 1st visit a diagnosis will be made of the type of staining required and pathologies or treatments the patient may have (sensibility, restorations of composites, etc.).
  2. In the 1st session of whitening thorough cleaning is carried out with a prophylactic brush and the color of the upper incisors, canines and lower incisors is matched.
  3. Isolation with a gingival protector.
  4. The whitening agent (37.5% hydrogen peroxide) is placed on the surface of the tooth for 8 minutes. The whitening agent is removed with water and another coating sis applied for another 8 minutes. This procedure is repeated for 3 to 5 sessions.
  5. Once the treatment in the clinic is finished, it is followed by 2 weeks of reinforcement at home for 2 hours a day
  6. Your dentist will give you the whitening agent, the thermoplastic splints and the guidelines to follow during the whitening at home.
  7. At the end of the treatment at home, fluorine gel or potassium nitrate will be put in the splints to seal the dentinal tubules and reduce any possible sensitivity.

See more information about External and Internal Whitening

Does teeth whitening hurt?

No, it doesn’t.  It is a painless procedure of conservation.

Can the whitening agents damage my teeth?

The whitening agents, increase the porosity of the tooth so that they can take effect. This porosity is reversible, and furthermore, at the end of the treatment FLUORINE or POTASSIUM NITRATE will be applied in order to seal the dentinal tubules, using the trays employed in the home based whitening process.

Does it cause sensitivity?

Whitening is not recommended for patients who suffer hypersensitivity, as with this treatment the sensitivity will be increased. The dentist will give you guidelines to follow on how to adjust the concentrations of the whitening agent to reduce this possible complication.

How long does it last?

This depends on the type of staining used, and on the habits and physiological characteristics of the patient.