Teeth whitening is a hugely popular cosmetic treatment that transforms your smile. It is proven to be highly effective at removing stains and making your teeth as white as you wish. Still, many people wonder how long the teeth whitening process takes.
In truth, the answer is quite complicated as there are many ways to whiten your teeth. Alongside this, the amount of treatment required will also influence the length of time. As such, we’ve looked at the three main ways to whiten your teeth, and provided estimates for how long they will take.
Professional At-Home Teeth Whitening: 2-3 Weeks
This technique involves getting special whitening trays created by your dentist. You’ll need to have impressions taken of your mouth, and the trays may take a week or so to be created. Then, you’re given the trays with special whitening gel and shown how to apply them. When you return home, you will put the gel in the trays and wear them for 30 minutes minimum. Do this every day, and you could see results within 2-4 weeks.
Of course, the length depends on how much product you use, how white you want your teeth, and how bad your current stains are. If your teeth are a pale yellow, you can see results in 2 weeks with ease. An advantage of at-home treatments is that you can keep them up for as long as you like. If your teeth start to revert back to their old color, you can use the kit again. Plus, if you run out of gel, you can order some from your dentist without needing to get a mouthpiece fitted again.
Over-The-Counter Teeth Whitening: 4 Weeks Minimum
You can get similar products online, but they take longer than professional ones. This is because the products aren’t as good, and the trays aren’t made for your mouth. You could also find teeth whitening strips, but they vary in effectiveness.
Realistically, these treatments don’t show results until at least a month of daily use. Even then, some people won’t see results to their satisfaction.
In-Office Teeth Whitening: Hours
Lastly, you can visit the dentist for in-office treatments. Typically, this consists of a whitening gel that’s applied to your teeth. A laser is then used to help bleach the teeth, which is why the results are seen so quickly. Some patients walk away with whiter teeth in a matter of hours. Others may need another appointment, but the results are still extremely fast.
This is definitely the quickest way of seeing results, yet it is still impacted by the amount of work required. If you have severely stained teeth, don’t expect to see results that quickly. You’ll need at least two appointments before things start to turn around.
In conclusion, teeth whitening can take anywhere from a few hours to a few months. It all depends on the treatment you choose and the state of your teeth. If you’re interested in professional teeth whitening, we offer an in-office service that can help you out.
Contact us today to learn more or to book an appointment!
