Ask the Dentist: Q: How much whiter will my teeth be after teeth whitening?

 A: It is possible to whiten your teeth by a few shades when you get a professional in-clinic teeth whitening treatment. Nonetheless, it is important to understand that teeth whitening treatments produce different results for different people.

One of the main factors that affect the results would be the permeability of enamel. Enamel that is more permeable tends to whiten more easily (however, there isn’t a test that can be done beforehand to assess that).

Another factor would be the tooth’s natural colour. Teeth naturally discolour with age as the tooth enamel wears off to reveal more of dentine, which is yellow in nature. Some people have darker dentine than the others, and in such cases, teeth whitening may not be effective as teeth whitening treatment is designed to whiten the enamel and not the dentine.

Finally, it also depends on the type of stains present. In-clinic teeth whitening treatment is effective in removing deep as well as surface stains, however is not as effective in treating grey stains.

During the consultation, your dental specialist/dentist will examine your oral condition and help set realistic expectations.

In order to achieve further whitening and better results, it is generally recommended to follow up with the take home whitening kit. As you can adjust the amount of contact time between the whitening gel and your teeth, you can achieve the degree of whitening desired. For instance, if you want your teeth to be even whiter, wear the whitening trays at home for a few more days.

Another thing to note is that if you have any pre-existing crowns and white fillings, these would not change its shade even after teeth whitening. Therefore, if you would like to replace a crown or white filling, it is advised for the replacement to be done two weeks after your whitening treatment.

Dr Steven Soo is a Dental Specialist in Prosthodontics with Specialist Dental Group^®. He was formerly a Clinical Lecturer at the Eastman Dental Institute and Clinical Teacher at the GKT Dental Institute, both of which are affiliated with the University of London. Dr Soo has a special interest in prosthetic and implant restorative dentistry. www.specialistdentalgroup.com | (65) 6733 7883