Is bleaching an effective treatment?
Tooth whitening can be a highly effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the tooth surface. It cannot make a complete colour change; but it may lighten the existing shade. Very few people have brilliant-white teeth, and our teeth can also become more discoloured as we grow older. Calculus or tartar can also affect the colour of teeth. Some people may have staining under the surface, which can be caused by certain antibiotics or tiny cracks in the teeth which take up stains. We advise on the suitability of these treatments which involve an active ingredient (usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide). Total treatment times vary, but it can take up to two to four weeks. Laser whitening involves shining a laser on the tooth to speed up the reaction times of the chemical reaction. Laser whitening is reported to make teeth up to five or six shades lighter. Generally the treatment should last up to three years, however, bleaching cannot be gu
