Teeth Whitening

Is an In-Lounge 45 minutes Whitening
For those who prefer a single session quick result, and are too busy to whiten everyday with take home kits.
This Refresh whitening procedure will freshen up previously whitened teeth with a gentle gel, LED Light & Ultrasonics in as little as 45 minutes. Relax on one of our whitening couches, slide on the headphones, mount your phone or our Netflix Ipad & watch your latest series.

Is an In-Lounge 45min Whitening
For those who prefer a single session relaxing In-Lounge experience.
This whitening procedure will get results with a medium whitening gel, LED Light & Ultrasonics in as little as 45 minutes. Relax on one of our whitening couches, slide on the headphones, mount your phone or our Netflix Ipad & watch your latest series.

An In-Lounge 70 minute Whitening
For those who prefer a single session relaxing In-Lounge experience.
This whitening procedure will give immediate results with a powerful whitening gel, LED Light & Ultrasonics. Gives a lasting teeth whitening result in as little as 70 minutes. You can relax on one of our whitening couches, slide on the headphones, mount your phone or our Netflix Ipad & watch your latest series.

This Kit includes 2 custom fitting trays and 4 Tubes of Whitening Gel.

To ensure your re-usable whitening trays are a snug fit, come in and we will take an impression of your smile and make your trays within two weeks. When you pick them up, we’ll show you how to use the trays and whitening kit for best results.

Teeth enamel is made up of a framework of crystals. Overtime discolouration can occur within this structure. Whitening gels breaks down the discolouration, so the enamel looks whiter.

Another type of whitening gel is Carbamide and was developed to reduce sensitivity which can occur in some people. As this is a very gentle whitening gel, it can be worn for long periods of time and it is the ingredient in all overnight Take-home kits.

Yes absolutely. Stains, plaque and tartar won’t come off with a whitening treatment.

For difficult stains, the first step to whiten your teeth is a cleaning with a Hygienist.

They have equipment to get those stubborn stains off the surface of your teeth.

Cleaning your teeth prior to whitening will make the treatment far more effective.

If you have not had a professional cleaning for a year or more, see the Hygienist first, then wait a few days before you have teeth whitening. This will allow any unhealthy or inflamed gums to heal up and so as not to interfere with the whitening process. Book.

It depends on your lifestyle.
Your whitening could last several years if you:

• look after your teeth with proper brushing and flossing
• use an electric toothbrush morning and night
• use moderation when consuming coloured foods and drinks
• don’t smoke
• get a hygienist clean every 6 months
• use a whitening toothpaste
• maintain with quick top-up whitening treatment every 6 months

Your Whitening result will last only a short while if you:

• don’t clean your teeth every day
• don’t Floss and Brush properly
• frequently bathe your teeth in black coffee and red wine
• you eat a lot of highly coloured foods like curries
• you smoke or vape
• go more than 6 months between Hygiene cleans

The 2 main reasons are: Surface staining and the Internal colour of the tooth itself.

How do Surface Stains form?

Lifestyle
Surface stains come from tannins in tea, coffee, red wine, smoking and many richly coloured foods.

Plaque and Tartar
If you don’t brush your teeth regularly as the tooth surface gets sticky, so the stains stay there. Add Plaque and Tartar to the mix and your teeth are going to look discoloured.

If your car is muddy and dusty, the paintwork looks dull and grey. Once you get a wash and polish, it looks shiny and bright. It’s the same with teeth.

They will look instantly brighter after a professional clean with a Hygienist. Stains, plaque and tartar won’t come off with a whitening treatment. Cleaning your teeth prior to whitening will make the treatment far more effective.

Lifestyle
The most common reason teeth yellow is because of lifestyle and the foods, drinks and habits you have, like smoking. The Pigments get absorbed into your enamel, and as time goes by the teeth become yellower. Some of the culprits include tea, coffee, red wine, many dark and richly coloured foods and smoking.

Teeth whitening works extremely well to reverse the yellowing effects of lifestyle.

Other causes of Discolouration

Enamel Loss
Thinning and loss of tooth enamel exposes the Dentine underneath. This makes the tooth look yellow.

The bulk of a tooth is made up of dentine which is quite yellow. There is a layer of milky white enamel 1-2 MM like a skin over the dentine. Enamel can be lost from wear, abrasion and excessive acidic foods and drinks.

Teeth whitening will work, but you may need to see a dentist about repairing the lost enamel and worn-down teeth.

Genetics
People in their teens and twenties may be a natural light yellow due to the enamel being slightly thinner than a person with whiter teeth at the same age. It’s often because they have a thicker enamel layer on their teeth. Several whitening treatments maybe required to lift the shade above the natural colour.

Very rarely, enamel does not form properly on the teeth due to a genetic condition. When the teeth come through in childhood, they are quite discoloured and sensitive.

A dentist should be seen for treatment.

Medications and Antibiotics

If your teeth have always looked grey or yellow, it may be due to medications, antibiotics or high fever as a young child, when your adult teeth were forming.

Whitening treatments still work with a specialised programme. Seek advice from a dentist to find out what can be done.

Fillings

Amalgam fillings in a tooth will make a tooth look grey. Because teeth are quite transparent, the grey/black metal casts a grey shadow through the teeth. Some old “white” fillings can discolour and stain your tooth brown or yellow.

The best solution is to get assessed by a dentist and have the fillings replaced with a light tooth coloured material. Often very grey teeth will look white again.

Teeth Injuries
Cavities or accidents to the front teeth can cause the nerve to die. A dead tooth often becomes darker in colour. To avoid infection, see a dentist and have it treated as soon as possible.

Dead teeth can be whitened with a special whitening gel placed inside the tooth itself by a dentist.

No. Whitening only works on natural teeth. It will not lighten dental work such as porcelain veneers and crowns or white fillings.

However, if you have an old crown on your front tooth that was made when your teeth were lighter, whitening can improve your smile. The whitening process will return your natural teeth to the colour they used to be and so your crown now matches again.

White fillings that have yellowed, would probably need to be replaced following whitening.

Seek advice from a dentist first.

Home whitening is very safe so long as you follow the directions and use approved products. Whitening gels have been around for over 40 years with very few side effects.

What are the side effects?
The most common one, is a temporary tooth sensitivity for 1 or 2 days at the most. Some gum irritation can occur, usually with the higher strength Gels. This can happen if the directions aren’t followed and the gel is in contact with your gums for too long.

In-office whitening should be carried out by trained professional operators.

Are there Whitening Regulations?
There are regulations in New Zealand governing who can sell teeth whitening gels and do whitening treatments .Only registered Dentists and Hygienists are permitted sell and use the full range of gels. Non-dentist Whitening Clinics are able to use a lower strength products if they have a recognised training qualification.

Are Regulations different Overseas?
Regulations about teeth whitening vary around the world. In the UK and Europe only dentists are legally able to do any teeth whitening, and the strongest whitening gel can only be 6% HP. Anything sold over the counter or online must be .1% or less.

This is a very weak solution and may only work to remove surface stains (that a hygienist could polish off) but not actually lighten the teeth. This has led to other products claiming to whiten teeth.

Internet and Over the Counter products
Many Over the counter whitening products may be harmful.
It’s possible to order quite strong peroxide products that will burn your gums and damage your teeth.

Others kits may contain an acid (PAP) and sodium chlorite. These products can in fact be harmful to your teeth enamel and only have a mild whitening effect. So be extremely careful ordering (or don’t order) these products over the internet.

1. 1. In-Lounge Single Session whitening
      One Session will give the quickest and most significant results. If you want the maximum effect, for a brighter white we recommend the 70 minute session using the Boost whitening gel. We use the new ultrasonic LED whitening technology BEYOND II Ultra. The ultrasound allows for more comprehensive targeting of the whitening gel by providing superior whitening results in a short treatment time.
      If you are prone to sensitivity we recommend the much gentler Teeth whitening refresh or Teeth whitening Plus product.
      NB. For extra whitening or very yellow teeth, several sessions may be required.
   2. Take Home whitening
      Results in 7-14 days.
      1. Alba Wireless LED Kit with Whitening Pens.
         Pens are prefilled with whitening gel which is then painted on the teeth.
      2. Opalescence Go is a kit of Prefilled Strips applied to the teeth with a tray applicator.
      3. Custom trays with Gel syringe refills.
         Available in a variety of gels from mild to moderate in strength.

There are a couple of questions to ask yourself that will point you in the right direction.
Both methods work equally well (more diligence is required with Take-home)

In-Lounge Whitening is good if:

• You prefer a single session
• You need fast results
• You have a special event this weekend
• You don’t have time to do it yourself
• You don’t like trays in your mouth

Take-Home Whitening is good if:

• You are ok doing it yourself
• You don’t mind hanging in there for 1- 2 weeks to get results
• You have sensitive teeth
• Lower budget
• You like having custom trays so you can whiten when you want
• You think The Alba LED wireless kit is cool

Our Smile specialists can advise you with a complimentary pre-treatment consultation Book now