Crown, fillings and whitening
Stained, worn teeth. A crown, several tooth-colored fillings and whitening were done together.
Changing your smile
Teeth whitening in Winchester
Professional teeth whitening here comes two ways: in the dental chair, or with a kit you use at home. Which suits you depends on how fast you want it, how sensitive your teeth are, and what is already in your mouth.
What to know first
In the office
Whitening done here, at the practice, in a dental chair.
Or take-home
A kit you use at home, on your own schedule.
Fillings and crowns do not whiten
Whitening works on natural enamel, so tell us about existing dental work first.
Who whitening suits
Whitening works best on stain that has built up on natural teeth.
- Your teeth have turned yellow or brown with age.
- Coffee, tea, red wine or tobacco have stained them.
- A medication has discoloured them.
- Your teeth and gums are otherwise healthy.
When whitening will not change a tooth
A crown, a veneer or a filling keeps the shade it was made in, and teeth that are gray or purple may not respond to whitening.
In the chair, or at home
Both lighten the shade of your natural teeth. They differ in how quickly, how much, and what you put up with on the way.
In-office whitening and a take-home kit, compared
- Where it happens
- In the office At the practice, during an appointment
- Take-home kit At home, in short stretches you fit around your day
- How fast you see it
- In the office Usually the quicker of the two
- Take-home kit More gradual, because it builds up over repeated use
- How much it lightens
- In the office Usually the larger change, since the gel is typically stronger
- Take-home kit A gentler change, in smaller steps
- Sensitivity
- In the office Possible, and a stronger gel can make it more noticeable
- Take-home kit Possible too, but you control the pace and can ease off when your teeth ask you to
- How long it lasts
- In the office Not permanent. Coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco bring the stain back sooner
- Take-home kit Not permanent, and the same habits shorten it
- Cost, relative
- In the office Usually the higher of the two, since it includes time in the chair
- Take-home kit Usually the lower of the two
What happens in the chair
Whichever product is used, a whitening visit is three moves.
Protect the gums
Whitening gel is made for enamel, not for gum tissue. The gums and lips are covered before any gel goes on.
Apply the gel
The gel sits on the teeth for a set time, which depends on the product. Sensitive teeth are the reason to say so before it starts.
Check the shade
The gel can go on more than once in a visit. Afterwards the shade is checked against where you started, which is what the shade guide is for.
Before and after, at this practice
Patients of this practice, shown with their consent.
- BeforeAfter
Why do it here
Whitening that starts with a look at your teeth
Whitening works on natural enamel and nothing else. A cavity, worn enamel or gum disease is a reason to treat first and whiten second, and a crown or a veneer will not change shade at all. A dentist can see every one of those before any gel goes on. A store-bought kit does not include that exam.
The kind of whitening you get is chosen to fit your mouth.
Call to Book
An exam shows whether whitening will suit your teeth, and that is better known before you buy anything.
The questions people ask first
Will teeth whitening make my teeth sensitive?
It can, with either method. Whitening gel passes through the enamel, and some teeth react to that with a brief ache or a sharp edge to hot and cold. It is more likely if your teeth are already sensitive, so say so before you choose. With a take-home kit you can ease off when your teeth tell you to; in the chair, say so the moment something stings.
How long does teeth whitening last?
It is not permanent, and how long it holds is mostly down to what your teeth meet afterwards. Coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco all stain again, and brushing well and keeping up with cleanings keep stain from settling back in. Nobody can promise you a length of time.
Will whitening change my crowns or fillings?
No. Whitening works on natural tooth enamel, so a crown, a veneer or a tooth-coloured filling keeps the shade it was made in. That matters most for front teeth: if you have work there, the natural teeth beside it will lighten and it will not, and it is far better to know that before you start than after. Mention any dental work when you call and it can be looked at first.
My senior pictures are coming up. When should I whiten?
Earlier than feels necessary. Leave room before the photo date rather than whitening at the last minute, so that any sensitivity has time to settle and a second round is possible if you want one. In-office whitening is the faster of the two, so it suits a closer date, but call early whichever you choose.