Teeth Whitening in Federal Hill

What whitening changes

Whitening lifts stain out of natural enamel. It works best on the yellowing that builds up over years from coffee, tea, red wine and tobacco.

What it will not change

This is the part worth knowing before you spend anything. Whitening does not lighten crowns, veneers, bridges or fillings. Those keep the color they were made in, so if you have any of them in your smile, whitening the teeth around them can leave them looking darker by comparison.

It also works less well on grey discoloration than on yellow, and on staining that came from inside the tooth rather than from the surface. Dr. Ellis will look at what is actually causing the color and tell you what to expect. Sometimes the honest answer is that whitening is not the right tool and veneers or bonding would do more.

Why it is worth doing properly

Supermarket kits use weaker gel and a tray that was not made for your mouth, so the gel sits unevenly and leaks onto the gums. Whitening arranged through the practice uses stronger gel with trays made to fit your teeth, and someone checks your teeth and gums are in a fit state for it first.

That last part matters. Whitening over untreated decay or inflamed gums is uncomfortable and it treats nothing.

Sensitivity

Some sensitivity during whitening is common and it usually settles once you stop. If your teeth are already sensitive, say so at the start, because it changes how the treatment is best done.

Keeping the result

Whitening is not permanent. The same things that stained your teeth the first time will do it again, so how long it lasts depends mostly on what you drink and whether you smoke. Whitening is cosmetic, so most plans do not cover it.