What does in-office whitening or bleaching involve?
Bleaching products brighten teeth that have been stained or darkened by food, tobacco use, age, injury or other causes that cannot be corrected with regular brushing or professional cleaning. There are a variety of in-office and take-home whitening products to reduce or eliminate such stains. In-office bleaching, also called chairside bleaching, takes place over a series of one-hour appointments at your dentist’s office. First, your teeth will be examined and cleaned to make sure there are no cavities, loose fillings, gum problems or other issues that may be exacerbated by the bleaching process. You and your dentist will make a custom-fit mouthtray for your teeth. Then the bleaching gel, a hydrogen peroxide solution, is applied to your teeth in the tray, sometimes after another gel or rubber shield is fit over the gums to protect them. An ultraviolet light may be shone on the teeth to facilitate the process. For more information on tooth whitening, click here.
