Dental Care Articles

Tooth Whitening: How long does it take?

Tooth whitening usually takes about an hour using laser tooth whitening system. Non laser, bleach whitening can take weeks to show noticeable results.

Patients should ask a number of questions:

How do I know I will get the results I want? What if they are not as white as I would like when I am done?

Not all teeth whiten at the same speed. Your teeth may not be as white as you would like after the 1 hour in-office treatment. Some dentist will fabricate take-home bleaching trays for patients. This allows them to continue the process at home so that they get the result they want. Additionally, if a patient’s case demands it, an additional in-office treatment can be done.

What are the side effects? There are no permanent side effects. However, many patients have a temporary sensitivity to cold liquids (brushing, ice water, etc.). This is totally reversible and can be sped up by using a high concentration fluoride toothpaste.

Does it hurt? Pain is generally not a major issue for most patients. However, during the bleaching process patients often feel a tingling sensation in their teeth. They also feel the heat of the activating lamp. Some patients feel a stronger tingling in the tooth that is only momentary. Sometimes this continues after the whitening process is completed. But, in all cases, it goes away before the end of the following day. This seems to be age dependant. Generally speaking, people under 40 tend to experience this more than people over 40.

see also:

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