How would my dentist whiten my teeth?

The most common way a dentist will whiten or bleach your teeth is using a special thin gumshield and some gel. First of all, the dentist will give your mouth a thorough check-up to make sure there are no other problems and that your gums are nice and healthy. Then he or she will take an impression of your teeth, upper and lower, using a special tray with dental putty. Using that impression, a plastic sleeve will be made which can fit snugly and exactly around your teeth.

The dentist will then show you how to put a small amount of the bleaching gel into the sleeve and then how to slide it over your teeth. Then you take the sleeve and the gel home and use it overnight, maybe every other or every third night, until your teeth are the desired colour. You may find that your teeth are more sensitive for about 24 hours after each application, but this is only temporary.