With current legislation prohibiting anyone but dentists from offering teeth whitening, it might seem that consumers have limited options to brighten their smile. ‘On the contrary,’ says a renowned dentist in Hammersmith, who has been providing cosmetic dental treatments for more than 20 years, ‘teeth whitening has never been more accessible or successful.’
Tooth whitening is one of the simplest and safest cosmetic treatments available, when done properly. In the best interest of the public the General Dental Council (GDC) recently restricted tooth whitening procedures to dentists only and only certain chemicals at specific concentrations are permitted for use. In addition the Care Quality Commission (CQC) requires that these procedures be done in certified premises.
European Communities Regulations no longer allow the high concentration of active substance needed for laser or light-activated whitening procedures, which are done in the surgery. In order to comply with the law the dentists now have to use unsuitably low-strength chemicals which means that clients could face expensive treatment with limited success and unstable results. However, the benefit of these rulings is that home whitening treatment, which is the gold standard, and requires low concentrations of whitening chemicals applied regularly over a period of time, is now a much more attractive and cheaper option.
Tooth whitening at 92 Dental
The home whitening procedure is carried out by the client. Ideally, customised trays, which are made by a dental technician, should be used. After a check-up to ensure there is no treatable cause for the darkening of the teeth, the dentist takes impressions of the teeth and sends them to a dental laboratory. At the next visit the patient is given the trays and whitening gel with instructions as to how to use them. Each tray is filled with the whitening gel and placed over the teeth and worn overnight for 7—14 days, depending on the degree of whitening required.
Sensitivity can occur, although this is unusual at the low concentrations currently allowed and a few days’ break from the trays will solve this problem with no long-term effect on whitening. The trays can be kept and used in future for additional whitening when required, so there is little further cost involved in maintaining a bright smile over the years. Alternatively, prefabricated trays loaded with whitening gel can be supplied by your dentist. They are disposable and come in packs of 12 pairs. This is an even more cost-effective treatment, however it does not always give as predictable a result.
Bleaching gel and custom-made trays
Custom-made bleaching trays in position
Despite current restrictions dentists are able to offer their patients a simple and effective treatment to look and feel younger.
Should you be interested in more detailed information about tooth whitening please visit www.dentisthammersmith.org.
