Take-Home Teeth Whitening (Opalescence)

A take-home whitening system using custom-fitted trays and professional Opalescence gel to gradually lighten the natural teeth at home. The dentist takes impressions to make trays moulded to your teeth, then provides the gel and instructions for wearing them over a course of days. Because the trays fit precisely, the gel stays in contact with the teeth and away from the gums. A separate option whitens a single darkened, root-treated tooth from the inside.

Take-home whitening at Stomatologia Kiepury uses the well-established Opalescence system to lighten the natural teeth gradually and under the dentist's guidance. The process begins with the dentist taking impressions of your teeth and having thin, custom-fitted trays made in the laboratory. Because each tray is moulded precisely to your dentition, the whitening gel is held evenly against the tooth surfaces and kept largely away from the gums, which helps make the treatment comfortable and the result even. You then wear the trays at home with a small amount of professional-grade gel for a period each day, typically over one to two weeks, following the dentist's instructions on timing. The active agent breaks down stains within the enamel and dentine, and the shade lightens progressively over the course; doing this at home at a measured pace is associated with less short-term sensitivity than very rapid methods, and any sensitivity that does occur is usually temporary. The starting package covers custom trays and two syringes of Opalescence gel for one arch, and further gel can be bought as needed. Whitening works on natural tooth structure and will not change the colour of existing fillings, crowns or veneers, so the dentist will discuss expectations — and the option of a cleaning beforehand — at consultation. For a single tooth that has darkened after root canal treatment, the practice offers internal (non-vital) whitening, which lightens the tooth from the inside over one or more visits.