Total smile teeth whitening
Professional whitening lightens natural tooth enamel and dentine after a dentist checks the teeth, gums, fillings, and cause of discoloration.
The short answer
Professional whitening lightens natural tooth enamel and dentine after a dentist checks the teeth, gums, fillings, and cause of discoloration. It changes the color of natural teeth, but it does not whiten crowns, veneers, fillings, or implant restorations.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
Whitening uses a peroxide gel that breaks down stain molecules within tooth structure. A complete plan may include examination, cleaning when needed, custom trays or in-office application, shade recording, and advice for managing temporary sensitivity.
What can you do next?
Start with an examination to identify cavities, cracked enamel, gum inflammation, and restorations that may not match after whitening. Follow the prescribed gel amount and wear time, keep trays clean, and avoid using unlabelled bleaching products.
When should you seek dental care?
Seek dental care before whitening if teeth are painful, gums bleed, or a dark tooth has changed color. Stop the product and contact the dental team if you develop marked sensitivity, gum burns, swelling, or an uneven result.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask whether the discoloration is on the surface or inside the tooth, whether existing restorations will need replacement for a color match, and which whitening method suits your enamel. Ask how sensitivity will be managed and how future touch-ups fit your plan.
Frequently asked questions
Will whitening change the color of fillings?
No. Tooth-colored fillings and other restorations keep their existing shade, so they may need replacement later for a closer match.
Why can whitening cause sensitivity?
Peroxide can temporarily irritate the tooth's dentine and nerve pathway, particularly when enamel is thin or treatment is overused.