What is take-home teeth bleaching/whitening?
Take-home bleaching is performed at home, under the indirect supervision of a dentist. At the first appointment, the dentist takes impressions of the patient’s teeth and then creates a perfectly fitted mouthpiece. This mouthpiece will allow the patient to apply a bleaching solution, a peroxide-based gel, to the teeth while protecting the rest of the mouth from contact with the bleaching chemicals. The concentration of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide in the bleaching gel is not as strong as that used in in-office bleaching procedures. No strong light source or laser is needed to activate the bleaching agent. In most cases, home bleaching can take from one to three weeks to achieve maximum results. The duration and frequency of the daily treatment varies. Some solutions require overnight use for a shorter period of time; others require twice-daily treatment for a longer period.
