Teeth whitening · Widney Dental, Knowle
Your own teeth, several shades lighter.
Dentist-strength whitening, three ways: trays made to your teeth and worn at home, £275; the plasma light in the surgery, £475; or the two together, £650. It lightens the enamel itself, takes nothing off the tooth, and comes after a check-up, so it is done on healthy teeth and gums.
In short
How whitening works.
Whitening gel is a peroxide that passes into the enamel and breaks up the coloured molecules inside it, so the tooth itself becomes lighter. A dentist can use gel strong enough to do that; shop kits and toothpastes are limited by law to strengths that polish the surface. In trays made to your teeth the gel sits on the enamel and not on your gums; under the plasma light in the surgery it works faster, in one sitting.
Is it right for your teeth?
What whitening lightens, and what it does not.
Whitening changes the colour of your own enamel. It does not change anything a dentist has made, which is why it comes before new work, never after. The check-up says which of these is you.
Whitening lightens
- Teeth darkened with age, one of the most common reasons people ask.
- Staining from tea, coffee, red wine and tobacco, after a clean has taken the surface layer off.
- A yellow or grey cast that toothpaste never shifted.
- Teeth before crowns, veneers or fillings at the front, so the new work is matched to the lighter shade.
Whitening does not
- Change crowns, veneers, fillings or bonding. Those keep their colour; if they are at the front, whitening is planned around them or they are replaced afterwards to match.
- Fully lift deep grey banding from childhood antibiotics; it lightens, but less, and your dentist will say so at the check-up.
- Go ahead with decay or gum disease present. The gel would aggravate both; they are treated first.
- Apply to under-18s, which the law does not permit except for a medical reason.
How it runs
A check-up first, then the way you choose.
- 1
Check-up
Teeth and gums examined, your starting shade recorded, and anything that needs treating first found. A new patient examination is £75; an existing patient’s is £45.
- 2
Choose
Trays at home over about two weeks, the plasma light in the surgery in one sitting, or both: the light first and the trays to carry the shade further. Your dentist says which suits your teeth and your diary.
- 3
Trays
If trays are part of your plan, they are made to fit your teeth exactly, so the gel sits on the enamel and not on your gums. You take them home with the routine written down.
- 4
The light
If the plasma light is part of your plan, your gums are protected, the gel is applied and the light works on it in the chair. You see the change before you leave.
- 5
The result
Your shade is checked against the one recorded at the start. Keep the trays: a top-up later brings the colour back without starting again.
What it is like
A tooth that may twinge, and a shade that lasts.
Some people feel a sharp, short sensitivity in a tooth or two while they are whitening, especially to cold. It passes when the course ends, and a sensitive toothpaste in the trays for a night settles it sooner. If it is more than that, you pause for a day; the result is the same.
While you are whitening, the enamel takes stain more easily, so tea, coffee, red wine and curry are best kept for after the course. How long the result lasts depends on the same list: with a clean at each check-up and the occasional top-up in the same trays, most people keep the shade for years.
What it costs
Three ways, three figures.
Whitening is cosmetic, so it is private everywhere in England, on the NHS nowhere. Widney Dental’s three figures are the fee guide’s, and the check-up that comes first is priced on its own.
Private figures are Widney Dental’s fee guide. NHS figures are England’s band charges as nhs.uk publishes them.
Toothpaste, shop kits or the dentist
Three ways to whiter teeth, set side by side.
The difference is the strength of the gel and whether anyone has looked at your teeth first. Here is the honest comparison.
| What it does | How much lighter | Checked by a dentist first? | Cost | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitening toothpaste | Mild abrasives and low-strength agents polish surface stain | A shade or so, over months, on the surface only | No | A few pounds | Keeping a lighter shade once you have it |
| Shop kits and strips | Low-strength gel in one-size trays or strips | A little; the strength the law allows without a dentist is low | No | Tens of pounds | Very mild staining on healthy teeth |
| Dentist whitening | Dentist-strength gel in trays made to your teeth, or under the light in the chair | Several shades; lightens the enamel itself | Yes, always | £275 to £650 | Age darkening, real staining, a lighter shade that lasts |
Whitening is a dental treatment in the UK: only a dentist, or a hygienist or therapist on a dentist’s prescription, may legally use gel at the strengths that change the colour of a tooth.
Who does it
Checked by a dentist, every time.
Whitening at Widney Dental starts with one of the practice’s dentists examining your teeth and recording the shade, because the law and the result both ask for it. The practice’s dentists and hygienists are on the General Dental Council register, and the figure for your plan is told to you before anything is made.
- Dr Mohammed BinaminPrincipal dental surgeonGDC 71019
- Dr Amelia ReedAssociate dentistGDC 194478
- Dr Hayley FreedmanAssociate dentist · restorative dentistryGDC 252053
What patients say
In their own words.
Great support for nervous patients★★★★★I have recently completed treatment for an implant at Widney Dental Care and although nervous at first and some initial discomfort at the beginning the whole process has been managed efficiently and professionally at all times. The care and attention to detail is second to none and the support during and after the treatment is reassuring. I am delighted with my implant.
For the whole family★★★★★My family and I have been receiving treatment at Widney Dental Care for a number of years. I am grateful for the level of care I have received at this practice.
Quality care worth travelling for★★★★★I find this a first-rate practice in every respect. Efficiently run including first-class patient care and treatment. Having moved out of the area several years ago and having full confidence in my dental care and treatment I still remain a patient being more than happy to travel some distance for my dental care.
Google review★★★★★Adam takes great pride in his work, treating the fillings like a work of art.
Questions
Asked before people book.
How much does teeth whitening cost?
At Widney Dental, trays made to your teeth with the gel are £275; the plasma light in the surgery is £475; the two together are £650. The check-up beforehand is £75 for a new patient or £45 for an existing one.
Trays or the light: which should I have?
Trays suit most people: about two weeks at home, a shade that builds day by day, and the trays kept for top-ups. The light suits anyone who wants the change in one sitting, for a date or because they would rather not wear trays. The combination gives the quick start and carries it further. Your dentist says which fits your teeth.
How long does it take?
With trays, a check-up and the fitting of the trays, then about two weeks of wearing them at home; most people see the change within the first week. With the light, one appointment in the chair after the check-up.
How long does it last?
Years, for most people, with a clean at each check-up and the occasional top-up in the same trays. Heavy tea, coffee, red wine or smoking bring the colour back sooner; a top-up brings it down again.
Does it hurt?
It does not hurt, but some teeth twinge with cold while you are whitening. It stops when the course ends, and a sensitive toothpaste used in the trays for a night eases it sooner.
Is it safe for my teeth?
Yes, done this way: on teeth a dentist has checked, with the gel kept off your gums, at a strength a dentist is allowed to prescribe. Whitening does not soften or thin enamel. Whitening by anyone who is not a dental professional is illegal in the UK, and the burns and uneven results come from there.
Will it whiten my crowns, veneers or fillings?
No. Porcelain and resin do not change colour, so if you have them at the front, whitening is planned around them, or they are replaced afterwards to match the new shade. Your dentist tells you which at the check-up.
How white will my teeth go?
Several shades lighter than they are now, to a natural white for your teeth rather than one flat colour. Your starting shade is recorded at the check-up so you can see the difference at the end.
Can I get whitening on the NHS?
No. Whitening is cosmetic, so it is private everywhere in England, for NHS and private patients alike. Widney Dental treats both; the whitening itself is a private fee for everyone.
Where are you, and how do I book?
76 Widney Road, Knowle, Solihull B93 9AW. Open Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 6pm and Friday 8.30am to 5pm. Call 01564 773080, or request a call-back.
Lighter teeth, checked first.
A check-up, your shade recorded, then trays at home from £275 or the light in the chair at £475. Book the check-up and the whitening follows when your teeth are ready for it.
Knowle, Solihull
B93 9AW
Friday 8.30am to 5pm