Teeth whitening procedures have increased at a staggering rate over the past few years, and teeth whitening products stake a claim to a huge proportion of the cosmetic dentistry market. These procedures have been seen to be most popular amongst young adults – particularly women – and represent a wider desire for brighter, healthy looking smiles.

There are a number of reasons for wanting to undertake a teeth whitening procedure, many people have naturally darker teeth while others seek to remove staining caused by smoking and dietary factors. Dentists will use a discolouration guide to determine the degree of staining before discussing your options with you.

Laser Bleaching

This will be undertaken by a dentist in his surgery who will apply a translucent bleaching gel to your teeth before using an activating light to trigger the crystals in the gel. These crystals then break through the enamel on your teeth to lighten them. The procedure will usually take up to around two hours depending on the amount of work that needs to be done and can be relatively expensive. Results however are instant, will only need one visit, and will last for ages.

Tray Bleaching

Tray bleaching is much more popular than laser bleaching because it costs substantially less and can be performed at home. Your dentist will make a mold of your mouth and make a tray for you to take home. Bleaching gel is then applied to the tray and worn for a couple of hours every day to obtain optimum results over a couple of weeks. This is a good option if you want effective results that aren’t overly expensive but may result in multiple visits to your dentist and increased tooth-sensitivity.

You can find cosmetic dentists in Manchester, London, Birmingham and all major towns and cities throughout the UK who would be more than happy to discuss your options with you.