At Home Teeth Whitening

Many over-the-counter products are available for whitening teeth without dentist supervision, where the whitening gel can leak out of ill-fitting trays causing irritation to your gums, as well as not whitening as efficiently as custom trays.

 

For the most effective and safest whitening treatment, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry recommends using custom-fitted mouth trays made by your dentist. With professional teeth whitening, using trays that are specifically molded and designed to fit your mouth and bite, you can avoid common problems found with DIY products.

Before starting the whitening process, we strongly recommend a cleaning and treatment of any gum disease. The dentist will then take upper and lower impressions to fabricate the custom trays, and you will receive the trays with the bleaching solution to use at home. Please carefully follow instructions on how much bleaching solution to apply.

Patients are often amazed at how much whitening takes place during this time, and an occasional treatment now and then is all you'll need to keep your teeth looking their best. Some patients do notice some tooth sensitivity to cold during the course of at-home whitening within one to three days after completing the whitening process; however, this sensitivity usually disappears.