Teeth Whitening Adelaide

Please book in for a no charge, no obligation whitening consult so we can discuss the best options for you.

Our in-chair whitening treatment involves a single appointment, during which one of our clinicians will apply a high strength whitening gel to your teeth that is then activated with a UV light. This higher concentration whitening gel is not available for take home use, as it may only be administered by a trained professional.

The active ingredient in tooth whitening formulas is bleach. It penetrates the outer surface of the enamel, whitening your teeth. In Australia, only dentists can provide higher concentrations of bleach, which penetrate further into the tooth structure and provide better results. At Fullarton Park Dental, the first thing we will do is make moulds of your teeth from impressions, so they are custom made for you. This is very important as hydrogen peroxide can cause damage to yours gums if it is in contact with them for long time.

There are many different reasons for teeth to be discolored. These include:

Tea and coffee Red wine Smoking Some medications/antibiotics It is important to book in with your dentist first, as many of these things cannot be fixed with tooth whitening and may even look worse afterwards. Tooth whitening doesn’t actually work for all types of staining. Tooth whitening is most effect on stains that are a yellow colour, rather than stains that are darker such as black or grey. Some stains are on the outside of your teeth such as stains from tea, coffee, wine or smoking. This is often a situation when tooth whitening may be successful. Some stains are actually from inside your teeth such as staining from some medications, where a different treatment may be required. It is also common that staining is actually caused by a separate dental issue which will need treatment anyway, and that this may fix the staining in the process.

Most teeth whitening is safe as it is a very non-invasive treatment. In saying this, not following instructions or using unsafe products can lead to issues such as sensitivity; this is why we always recommend seeking professional help in these situations. In Australia, guidelines say that the teeth whitening produces must contain only small percentages of the active ingredients which cause teeth whitening. This means that products sold in Australia are generally safe when used correctly. Higher percentage products, such as the ones we use, can only be issued by dental practices with appropriate training. There are a few potential side effects of teeth whitening: All dental bleaches can cause irritation to the gums on prolonged contact.. At Fullarton Park Dental, the first thing we will do is make moulds of your teeth from your custom impressions. This is very important as whitening trays are not one-size-fits-all, and this greatly decreases your risk of damaging your gums. It is also common for tooth whitening to cause tooth sensitivity. A few days with slightly increased sensitivity is normal, but any additional sensitivity is uncommon, and we would encourage you to discuss this with your dentist. Ways you avoid this is to discuss any pre-existing sensitivity with your dentist before treatment, and ensure that you follow all the instructions that we give you (especially for the duration and frequency you should whiten your teeth).

If you come in for a consult, we can give you a better idea of your predicted results, as it varies between people. For the most part, your teeth will look multiple shades lighter than their original colour. This depends on how much you whiten your teeth.  The end result depends on what the teeth looked like to start with, for example, heavily stained teeth will not end up as light as teeth that started with less staining.

Once you begin whitening, you should see results in approximately 2 weeks. If you are whitening for a specific event, we recommend leaving a few extra days to make completely sure there will be no chance of sensitivity ruining the fun.

It is also common for the colour to slowly fade, and needs to be topped up every 6-12 months. The frequency will depend on things such as your diet and your toothbrushing habits.

If you have braces, we recommend that you wait until you have your braces off to begin whitening your teeth. There are a few reasons why:

The parts of your teeth that are under the brackets will not whiten, while the teeth outside will. This will look uneven. Sometimes people can get staining under their brackets, it is good to have a good clean first to make sure that this hasn’t happened. If you really want to whiten your teeth with braces on, ensure to discuss with your dentist and make sure you understand that you may need to touch up your teeth after your braces come off.

The products that are used to whiten teeth do not work on anything other than enamel. This means that if you have any fillings, veneers or crowns they will not change colour with the tooth structure. If you are thinking about tooth whitening and need any dental treatment done, it is a good idea to mention this as often the whitening will be done first, and then the dental work will be matched to the colour that you have whitened your teeth to.

If you whiten your teeth after having fillings, crowns or veneers, these will appear darker in your mouth as they would have originally been matched to the colour of your teeth. If they are in areas where you do not really see it should be no problem, otherwise the only way to fix the colour would be to re-do the filling, veneer or crown. Always discuss this with your dentist before you begin tooth whitening.

It is important to remember, as with any cosmetic dental treatment, the first step is ensuring you have healthy teeth and gums.

We recommend that you book in for a short consult with one of our dentist’s or hygienist’s who would be happy to discuss your options, any risks and your likely results.