Is it the same as store-bought whitening products?

At-home whitening products have some effect on surface stain. They are not the same treatment as clinic whitening done at home. We explain the differences in detail in the Q&A.

Will my teeth feel sensitive?

Yes. For some people it lasts a day or two; for others, close to a week. Teeth that are already sensitive, or that have exposed roots, feel it more. In that case we look at the cause before whitening.

Do fillings get whiter too?

Only your natural teeth get lighter. Fillings and crowns stay the same, so we check where the color is before whitening.

Should it come before Brinate?

When a thin layer is placed without shaving, the color underneath shows through. That is why whitening comes first, and the layer goes on after the color has settled.

Cosmetic

WhiteningTooth whitening · Whitening treatment

Q: How long does it last?

There is no set period. How fast the color comes back depends on what you eat and drink. It is not a one-time treatment.

One piece among other things — cream, gel, stone. The piece is one of four.

Shaving: None
Shape: Unchanged
Sensitivity: Possible
Fillings: Unchanged
Lasting: May stain again
Cost: Explained after your exam

Whitening lightens the color inside the tooth without shaving it. Shape and size stay as they are, and all the teeth are brightened together.

If the stain is on the surface, we remove it first. Fillings and crowns do not get lighter, so we first check where the color is.

Teeth feel sensitive for a while afterward. How fast the color comes back depends on what you eat and drink, and one session is not the end of it.

Two identical teeth side by side, one brighter, showing that only the color changed while the shape stayed the same.

Advantages of whitening

No shavingIt suits you if you like the shape and size and only the color bothers you. No tooth is shaved to make room for a covering.

Everything gets brighterInstead of covering one tooth, it brightens all the visible teeth together. It has no effect on fillings or crowns, though.

No shaved tooth left behindNothing is placed on top or put over the tooth, so even if you do not like the result, you are not left with shaved teeth.

Before and after

Before whitening — upper front teeth with a shade guide. Front view with a retractor — Before

After whitening — upper front teeth with a shade guide. Same framing — After

How whitening is done

No shaving. We first check where the color is.

01
We see where the color is
We tell apart surface stain, color inside the tooth, and filling material. Whitening has no effect at all on fillings.
02
Surface stain comes off first
If the stain sits on the surface, removing it comes before whitening. We check that color before using any whitening agent.
03
We lighten the inner color
Without shaving the tooth, a whitening agent lightens it from within. The shape stays the same.
04
We wait for the color to settle
Nothing is placed over the teeth right after whitening. If you have a fixed date, such as a wedding, whitening comes first, and the layer goes on after.

Choosing by how much is removed

For front teeth, how much tooth is removed depends on what you want to change. We start with the cases where nothing needs to be removed.

Nothing removed

This is when color is the only issue. If you like the shape and size but the teeth look yellow overall, there is no reason to remove anything. The tooth stays as it is, and we lighten the color inside it. Only the color changes, so any gaps or shape stay the same.

Whitening

Added on top, nothing removed

This is when the teeth sit slightly inward or are small, so coming forward a little is fine. Without removing anything, we add a thin layer over the tooth. If you do not like it, it can be taken off. But the tooth becomes thicker by that layer, so we do not do this on teeth that already stick out.

Resin veneer Brinate

A thin layer removed from the front

This is when the teeth already stick out, or the color is so dark that a thin cover will not hide it. We shape the front surface by the thickness of what will be bonded, then bond it there. Once bonded, the tooth is back to its original thickness. But a tooth that has been reduced cannot be restored to how it was.

Porcelain veneer

Removed all the way around

This is when a front tooth is badly broken, or little of it remains after root canal treatment. The front layer alone does not leave enough to bond to, and even if we bond something, the remaining tooth breaks first. We shape the front and back all the way around and cover the whole tooth so it takes chewing force evenly.

All-ceramic crown

Is it the same as store-bought whitening products?
At-home whitening products have some effect on surface stain. They are not the same treatment as clinic whitening done at home. We explain the differences in detail in the Q&A.
Will my teeth feel sensitive?
Yes. For some people it lasts a day or two; for others, close to a week. Teeth that are already sensitive, or that have exposed roots, feel it more. In that case we look at the cause before whitening.
Do fillings get whiter too?
Only your natural teeth get lighter. Fillings and crowns stay the same, so we check where the color is before whitening.
How long does it last?
There is no set period. How fast the color comes back depends on what you eat and drink. It is not a one-time treatment.
Should it come before Brinate?
When a thin layer is placed without shaving, the color underneath shows through. That is why whitening comes first, and the layer goes on after the color has settled.