There are two types of professional teeth whitening, both of which penetrate the enamel and dentin layers of the teeth to remove deep discolorations without the removal of any part of your tooth structure:
In-Office Whitening
This procedure is performed at your dentist’s office. After covering your lips and gums to expose only your teeth, your dentist will apply a professional-grade bleaching agent to your teeth. He or she may shine a special UV light on them to accelerate and deepen the whitening action. Your dentist will repeat the process two more times at 15-minute intervals, and you will leave your appointment with teeth that are many shades whiter.
At-Home Whitening
You can achieve almost the same whitening results with an at-home kit provided by your dentist, who must first create custom mouth trays for you. These trays are to be filled with professional-grade whitening gel and placed over your top and bottom teeth. After wearing them for a specified time period every day for about two weeks, your teeth will achieve almost the same whitening results as an in-office treatment.
Who Is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Anyone with healthy teeth and gums is a good candidate. However, if you have tooth decay, sensitive teeth, gum disease or dental work on your teeth, you’ll need to address these issues with your dentist before undergoing professional teeth whitening.
