East Midlands Cosmetic Dental Centre of Nottingham

Tel: 0115 9101 447
E-mail: reception@ukdental.co.uk

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More Information:

The most appropriate method of tooth whitening is determined by the cause, if any of the discolouration.

• Extrinsic stain (that adhering to the surface of the teeth) is best treated by mechanical removal. A hygienist or dental surgeon can best achieve this, with at home oral hygiene follow up.
• Intrinsic stain (that within the structure of the tooth) has many causes, and the ideal treatment varies from case to case. Gross discolouration is often treated by disguising behind a veneer of lighter coloured porcelain; milder discolouration may often be improved by application of hydrogen peroxide like compounds to the tooth surface.
• Damaged or discoloured restorations, fillings and crowns may be replaced, but are virtually never bleachable.
• Healthy teeth that have not necessarily discoloured, but whose appearance may benefit from some cosmetic whitening may be improved with the use of professionally fitted trays to hold a tooth whitening product around the teeth for longer periods.
• Teeth in which the nerve has died, or have been root filled, and have since discoloured are often indicated for crown provision in any case, consequently the discolouration is disguised. Those that are not to be crowned, but where root canal treatment has been successful are often improved by tooth whitening from within with hydrogen peroxide. This should be available from a dentist dedicated to cosmetic practice.

To determine which tooth whitening therapy is most appropriate for you; a professional assessment by a dental surgeon whose practice is focused on cosmetic treatments would be appropriate. Thereafter you should be in a position to decide upon a suitable course of action.

Should you decide that tooth whitening is appropriate to you, and is to be conducted in the UK, the following represents a resume of what is available:

The whitening of mildly discoloured, otherwise healthy, teeth is most often achieved using a powerful oxidising agent applied to the tooth. This allows the staining molecules to be released from the tooth structure and to be neutralised and washed away. No structural change to the tooth occurs.

Current UK legislation forbids the provision of cosmetics containing higher concentrations of these materials. Over-the-counter tooth whitening systems therefore contain such weak dilutions that their benefit is questionable. Although some minor improvements may be seen over a long period in some cases, the cost of the kits and the time involved (often years) leads me to dissuade my patients from these kits.

More concentrated tooth whitening formulas are available from the United States and may be prescribed by a qualified dentist in this country. There are different forms of these products. Some are so concentrated that full time professional supervision of their use is required, the treatment taking an hour. Others are dilute enough to allow only partial supervision, with the tooth-whitening product being applied in a professionally manufactured tray by the patient at home, following instructions supplied by the dentist.

It would not be appropriate for a dental surgeon to prescribe any medicament to a patient without first having been interviewed and examined. Many patients travel some distance for treatment, wishing to achieve as much as practicable at each visit. When planning to make the trip, please explain the situation when you telephone so that a sensible appointment may be booked. A charge of £55 is normal for consultation, with non-surgical tooth whitening charged at between £385 and £630, depending upon complexity.