What is in-office bleaching?
If you are a candidate for bleaching, your dentist may suggest a procedure that can be done in his or her office. This procedure is called chairside bleaching and may require more than one office visit. Each visit may take from 30 minutes to one hour. During chairside bleaching, the dentist will apply either a protective gel to your gums or a rubber shield to protect the oral soft tissues. A bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth, and a special light may be used to enhance the action of the agent. Lasers have been used during tooth whitening procedures to enhance the action of the whitening agent.
In office bleaching is performed with the supervision of a dentist. During this bleaching process, gel will be applied to your gums for protection and a bleaching agent is applied to the teeth accompanied by a light that will enhance the whiteness of your teeth. Just like any bleaching procedure, you may not see immediate results and this process may have to be repeated.
If you are a candidate for bleaching, your dentist may suggest a procedure that can be done in-office. This procedure is called chair-side bleaching and may require more than one visit. Each visit may take from 30 minutes to one hour. During chair-side bleaching, the dentist will apply a protective gel to your gums. A bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth, left for half an hour then washed.
