If your teeth are not as bright as you would want them to be, it may be good for you to consider whitening them. And one option that is available in this regard is laser teeth whitening. Before making an appointment for laser whitening in London, you will probably want to know what exactly it entails. You may also want to know the pros and cons of this teeth whitening method. In this article, we provide comprehensive information on laser teeth whitening. You can know what to expect, if you opt to have your teeth whitened in this way.
How do laser teeth whitening work?
The laser teeth whitening procedure has four major steps. If you are considering booking an appointment for laser teeth whitening in London, these are the steps you should expect to be taken.
In the first step, the teeth are simply cleaned – but in a very thorough manner. The objective here is to ensure that any plaque on the teeth is removed. One can’t proceed to do laser whitening on teeth that have plaque on them.
In the second step, peroxide gel is applied to the teeth. This is a high-strength gel, which serves the purpose of drawing all manner of stains off the teeth. There are tools through which the dentist is able to apply the said gel to the teeth gently.
The third step entails allowing the peroxide gel that was previously applied to the teeth to set in. So in order for the peroxide gel to really do its work well, it has to stay on the teeth for a few minutes. It is in the course of these few minutes that the gel draws out the stains from the teeth. Usually, the dentist will have precise timing, with regard to how long they allow the gel to stay on the teeth. It is not supposed to stay there for too long. But it does need to set in for a few minutes so that it can work how it is supposed to.
The fourth step entails directing a laser beam on the teeth (with the peroxide gel still on them). This will likely be deemed as the climax of your laser whitening treatment in London because in this step, the laser is actually used. The purpose of the laser is to enhance the gel’s teeth-whitening capability. As we said earlier, the peroxide gel, by itself is quite powerful at drawing out stains from the teeth. But when a laser beam is also directed onto the teeth with the gel on, the effect is greatly enhanced.
So those are the steps through which laser teeth whitening works.
How long do the laser teeth whitening procedure take?
However, it seems that laser teeth whitening procedure takes a lot of time, but that is actually not true. In fact, of all the various teeth cosmetic options, laser whitening may possibly be the one that takes the least time. That is because right from the teeth cleaning step to the final one of directing a laser beam on the teeth, the whole process takes just one hour.
Thus the dentist has to spend approx an hour implementing laser teeth whitening. This of course has implications to the cost of laser teeth whitening treatment that London dentists charge to their patients. Since the procedure doesn’t take too much time, they typically don’t charge too much for it either. However, it does still entail the use of high strength peroxide gel and expensive laser beam generating equipment. For that reason, it is not the cheapest procedure either.
The pros of laser teeth whitening
The first key advantage associated with laser teeth whitening is that it is highly effective. It really does work, in terms of making teeth whiter: 7 to 10 shades brighter in most cases.
Second is the fact that the results from laser teeth whitening are seen immediately. It is unlike other methods of teeth whitening which entail wearing all manner of strips for weeks before seeing results.
Third is the fact that laser teeth whitening is non-invasive. There is no pain or any form of bleeding in the course of laser teeth whitening. As we saw, dentist just applies gel to the teeth. Then it is allowed to set in for a few minutes. Thereafter, a laser beam is directed at the teeth with the gel applied. There is no pain or cutting at any point. Therefore this teeth whitening method doesn’t even entail the use of anesthesia at any point.
The cons of laser teeth whitening
Sometimes, people who have undergone laser teeth whitening end up with sore gums. This soreness is a result of the gums having come into contact with the peroxide gel. It doesn’t occur during the procedure, but usually sometime after. Thankfully, this is a problem that typically lasts for only a few days.
There are a few users for whom laser teeth whitening is not effective. For 78 percent of people, it is effective. So some people end up needing alternatives like veneers and crowns.
As we alluded to earlier, laser teeth whitening is not very cheap. This becomes clear when we see the cost of laser teeth whitening that dentists in London generally charge to their patients. Thankfully though, most of them have instalment plans which can make the payments more manageable.
There are cases where people report some degree of tooth sensitivity after laser whitening. Thankfully, this tends to be short-lived. And the people who report this issue tend to be folks who were already struggling with tooth sensitivity before the procedure.
How to work out whether you should go for laser teeth whitening
The main consideration here will be with regard to just how badly darkened/stained teeth you are having.
It may be best to consult a dentist for an assessment. Then the dentist can tell you whether laser whitening is ideal for you, given the state of your teeth.
If you want your teeth to be whiter and brighter on an immediate basis, better you fix an appointment at teeth whitening clinic in London. Our dentist will ensure you don’t have any discomfort during the treatment.
