Does whitening damage teeth?

Done after an examination and with a suitable product, it does not attack the enamel. What causes trouble is whitening over decay, a leaking filling or an inflamed gum — hence the consultation beforehand.

How long does the effect last?

From several months to a few years depending on diet and smoking. Take-home trays are then used to maintain the shade, an occasional night at a time.

Will my crowns whiten too?

No. Ceramics and composites do not respond to the gel. If restorations are visible they will look darker after treatment and would need remaking to match the new shade.

How much does whitening cost?

From €100 for in-chair whitening, and €200 for the take-home method with custom trays, lab work included. The scale and polish beforehand is quoted separately.

Teeth Whitening

A treatment room at Estoria clinic, with the chair and the operating lamp

What whitening lightens

The tooth itself, not what is on it.

Whitening gel passes through the enamel and acts on the dentine, where the colour of a tooth lies. So it lightens the natural tooth, and nothing else.

A crown, a veneer or a composite filling does not respond. That has a practical consequence: somebody with visible restorations will watch their natural teeth lighten around them, and the mismatch appear. On a smile that is to be remade, whitening therefore comes first, so that the ceramic shade is chosen against teeth that are already lighter.

Learn more about veneers

A dental surgeon in a white coat, arms folded, in a bright room

What happens first

A scale and polish, and a check for decay.

Calculus and surface staining — coffee, tea, tobacco — do not whiten: they come off. A scale and polish beforehand is nearly always needed, and it changes the colour on its own, sometimes enough that the rest becomes optional. It is quoted separately.

The examination is also there to rule out what makes whitening a bad idea: untreated decay, a leaking filling or an inflamed gum turn a whitening session into a painful one.

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A dental surgeon in a treatment room at the clinic, arms folded

In the chair or at home

One quick session, or trays you keep.

In-chair whitening is done in one appointment at the clinic with a stronger gel: the result shows immediately. Take-home whitening uses custom trays and a milder gel, worn at home over several days.

Both reach a comparable result. The useful difference is elsewhere: the trays stay with you, and an occasional night afterwards is enough to maintain the shade. Over time that often works out cheaper, despite a similar starting price.

A treatment room at Estoria clinic, lit in blue

Sensitivity, and how long it lasts

Cold sensitivity for a few days, then nothing.

Cold sensitivity during and after treatment is the most common effect. It is temporary and eases within a few days; a desensitising toothpaste started before treatment reduces it.

How long the result lasts depends mostly on coffee, tea and tobacco. With habits unchanged, the shade dulls gradually — which is the value of the trays, since they allow a short top-up rather than a whole treatment repeated.

Whitening — Frequently Asked Questions

Does whitening damage teeth?: Done after an examination and with a suitable product, it does not attack the enamel. What causes trouble is whitening over decay, a leaking filling or an inflamed gum — hence the consultation beforehand.
How long does the effect last?: From several months to a few years depending on diet and smoking. Take-home trays are then used to maintain the shade, an occasional night at a time.
Will my crowns whiten too?: No. Ceramics and composites do not respond to the gel. If restorations are visible they will look darker after treatment and would need remaking to match the new shade.
How much does whitening cost?: From €100 for in-chair whitening, and €200 for the take-home method with custom trays, lab work included. The scale and polish beforehand is quoted separately.