It’s expensive and the results are not always guaranteed, but teeth whitening is one of the top beauty treatments on the market today. We look at the facts.

With the dazzling smiles of celebrities beaming up from the pages of magazines, it is hardly surprising that teeth whitening is so popular – after all, nothing beats a bright white smile for building confidence. In addition it’s a straightforward procedure, and for the right candidate it can be relatively successful.

However, it is expensive. Alhough there are cheaper alternatives, you’ll want to think closely about the risks before you choose the cheap option, especially if it involves untrained clinicians.

Teeth whitening is the process of restoring your teeth to the natural bright colour they were before years of staining by wear and tear, chewing, drinking coffee and smoking.

Before you take the plunge it’s important to check in with your dentist to make sure that your teeth are suitable to be whitened. Your dentist will check for things like enamel thickness, receding gums, sensitivity, tooth decay, crowns and veneers. All these conditions can impact the effectiveness of the treatment, and the potential risks.

All procedures for teeth whitening involve the application of peroxide to dissolve any organic stains. Side effects can range from a reduction in the hardness of enamel, damaged and inflamed gums, blistering, tooth sensitivity and even irritation in the oesophagus if some of the bleaching agent is ingested. In addition, if you have crowns or veneers the colour will not change at all so you might end up with multi-coloured teeth.

While for many people the procedure poses no risk, there is always the chance of choosing the wrong treatment for your teeth, or having the treatment applied incorrectly. Another potential outcome is that the treatment does not result in a satisfactory colour. While many people request a "Hollywood" smile, in reality most people’s tooth colour does not change more than one or two shades, and some may not see any real change at all. Your dentist can give you a clearer idea of what you can expect.

After you’ve checked in with your dentist, there are two avenues you can take – you can either have the procedure done "in office" – ie: in the dentist’s chair, or you can choose a take-home kit.

During the in-office system, a prescription formula whitening gel containing either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide is applied on your teeth, and then a UV lamp is used to activate the whitening effects. This is called "power bleaching". This process is repeated two or three times depending on your goals and the initial results. This type of procedure is quick, effective and professionally done.

If you decide on the take-home option, you will be fitted with a customised mouth tray. After applying the whitening gel to your teeth, you wear the tray during the day or overnight. This process is gradual and can take several weeks to get the desired result. However, this process is a lot less expensive, and the benefit is that once you have purchased the tray, you can reapply the gel indefinitely.

There are more than 2000 dentists listed on the Yellow Pages that perform teeth whitening. Talk to someone today about your options.