Do you have stained teeth from too much coffee/tea or smoking? Or you may be born with naturally discoloured teeth (intrinsic stains) ? Teeth whitening is frequently used to treat mild to moderate surface and intrinsic stains.

After 2-3 weeks of 'home' whitening or 1 hour of 'In-office' whitening, you will be able to achieve your dream sparkling smile. However, for more severe discolourations (like Tetracycline stains), it may require much longer whitening periods.

Maintenance
This is important to ensure many years of enjoyment of your new smile.

As part of Smile Experts whitening protocol, we recommend that all our patients maintain regularly (2 to 3 months) with their customized home-whitening trays. To achieve additional whitening (in some cases) and to maintain the 'whiteness' of the smile.

These customised home-whitening trays are crafted in our in-house dental laboratory to ensure excellent fit, greater comfort and satisfaction among our patients.

Treatment Process (Home-whitening)
This is an easy 15 minute procedure.

1. A detailed aesthetic analysis of your smile is conducted as well as assessment of your dietary habits and expectation. Counselling may be done concerning the do's and don'ts eat or do after the whitening.
2. Moulds are taken of both your upper and lower jaws. This allows our in-house technicians to customize (bespoke) the whitening trays to fit you perfectly.
3. The bespoke process takes a few hours to complete. Should you prefer, you may even request to collect them on the same day so that you can start on the whitening straight away! Just ask us!
4. When the trays are ready, you will be given special whitening gels (available in various concentrations) for the whitening. You will then be shown how to apply the gels and do the whitening.
5. Apply and wear the trays for between 30 mins to 2 hours (depending on whitening gel concentrations.
6. To return to our dentists for review of results in 3 to 4 weeks.
7. Do remember to do your maintenance!

Tip: If you have a big party or an important event that you want to be in your best smile, you can even put the trays on for 1 or 2 applications a week before the event.

Treatment Process (In-office whitening)
In-office whitening takes about 1hour for the whole procedure. But do set aside 1.5hours for discussion and preparation times.

1. A detailed aesthetic analysis of your smile is conducted as well as assessment of your dietary habits and expectation. Counselling may be done concerning the do's and don'ts eat or do after the whitening.

2. Moulds are taken of both your upper and lower jaws. This allows our in-house technicians to customize (bespoke) the whitening trays to fit you perfectly.

3. After cleaning your teeth, your dentist will apply on protective layers around your lips, teeth and gums to protect them against the highly concentrated whitening gel.

4. The 'light-sensitive' whitening gel is then placed on the teeth surfaces after which, specially filtered L.E.D. light is then shone on the teeth to speed up the whitening process.

5. After 3 to 4 'cycles' the whitening process of complete and you now have your new smile!

6. Your maintenance trays may be ready for your collection.

1. Are there any side-effects associated with Teeth Whitening?
   Teeth whitening is an extremely safe and straightforward procedure. The most common side effect experienced is sensitivity, the intensity of which is likely to vary from patient to patient. Teeth whitening will not affect the integrity of tooth structure and existing fillings; however, existing fillings, veneers or crowns present in the front teeth are unlikely to lighten to the same degree as natural teeth and may need to be changed accordingly.
2. Is Teeth Whitening safe for Pregnant and nursing mothers?
   Teeth whitening is generally perceived to be a safe procedure for pregnant of nursing mothers. This is because the active ingredient in whitening gel, Peroxide, breaks down to water and releases oxygen radicals, which penetrates the tooth and whitens it. There are no studies to indicate that teeth whitening poses any risks to a developing foetus, however, as the first trimester is a crucial period for the development of the foetus, we generally recommend caution.

   It is completely safe for new mothers to use whitening gels whilst still nursing.

3. Is Teeth Whitening suitable for young children?
   Caution is generally advised when carrying out whitening procedures on children. This is because their permanent teeth may not yet be fully developed.
4. What are the side effects of using whitening gel or undergoing the high-intensity light treatment?
   Before teeth whitening gel is applied, a patient's lips and gums will be protected. This means that, other than short term tooth sensitivity, there are generally no other side effects experienced.
5. Will my teeth become more brittle after the teeth whitening treatments?
   Teeth whitening does not affect the integrity of teeth, therefore it will not lead to teeth becoming brittle.
6. Are there any situations whereby I would be unsuitable for the in-office whitening procedure?
   Every patient is different, for example, abnormalities in the development and structure may result in innate weakness in the natural teeth. For this reason, we advise patients undergo an individual consultation before committing to any dental procedure.
7. Do I have to give up drinking coffee if I wish to keep my teeth white after the procedures?
   We do not advocate that patients forgo coffee in order to maintain white teeth. Our dentists will advise you on various ways to maintain your new smile; generally regular professional cleaning and use of the maintenance trays will help remove any superficial stains, including nicotine stains caused by smoking.
8. How white should my teeth be? How can I determine the ideal level of whiteness for my teeth?
   The ideal level of whiteness varies between individuals. Our dental surgeons will be able to advise on individual cases.
9. If I wear the tray with whitening gel for several hours a day, instead of 1 hour per day, can I achieve whitening at home in a shorter period of time than 14 days?
   As a general rule of thumb we advise against over-using the whitening tray and gel, which would include prolonged usage in a single day. We do this because we are following the protocol recommended by the manufacturers.
10. I have tried teeth whitening toothpaste and teeth whitening kits and these have not helped me at all. How do I know that the in-office or home whitening treatments will be effective?
    The main difference between store bought products and professionally dispensed products is in the mode of application and concentration of the whitening gels used. Professionally dispensed gels are of a higher concentration and thus, deliver a more predictable and noticeable result.
11. My teeth are discoloured due to tetracycline. Can these procedures remove the stains?
    We expect some degree of whitening to occur, even on tetracycline stained teeth. However, depending on severity of the stains, it may not be possible to remove all of the stains.
12. What about hygiene standards at Smile Experts Dental Centre?
    We understand the concern and importance placed on personal safety. Smile Experts Dental Centre uses autoclave sterilisation and disposable/non-contamination techniques to ensure the highest hygiene standards are met.
13. Does this procedure hurt?
    Most patients experience no discomfort, some do, however, experience mild temporary pain.
14. How much does this procedure cost?
    At Smile Expertsour approach is to customise treatments for each individual person. We believe that, by doing this, we are able to ensure maximum value for patients as they are charged only for the treatments they need and not for general dental packages, that may include treatments or services not needed. So the cost will very much depend on each specific patients programme.

1. Protect teeth that is too badly broken down and may break easily.
2. Protect teeth that are cracked (Cracked Tooth Syndrome)
3. Made entirely of Zirconia, which is strong and durable. In some cases, they may be used in place of Full Metal Crowns.
4. Can be used to support and replace extremely worn-out or broken-down dentition.
5. Crowns together with Dental Veneers, can be used in combination in Smile Makeover situations.
6. Your dentist will select the most suitable material for the Crown that suits your aesthetic and functional needs.

1. Consultation appointment (Approximately 30 min)
   Detailed examination and analysis of your occlusion (bite), to check for any parafunction (like night-grinding/clenching).
2. First appointment (Approximately 1 hour)
   Prepare the teeth and take impressions for the crowns.
3. Our dentists will work with our in-house laboratory to fabricate the crowns for you.
4. Second appointment (Approximately 1 hour)
   Seating of completed crowns and permanently bonding them to the teeth.
5. Review of completed crowns.

Do note that in some cases when patients have parafunctional habits like night-grinding (Bruxism) or clenching, night-guards may be prescribed for protection of your crowns and remaining teeth.

1. What are these tooth-coloured fillings made of and how safe are they?
   Tooth-coloured restorative materials or composites are metal-free and extremely safe and most significantly, they do not contain mercury which is present in amalgam fillings. The latest composites have strength and even flexibility, similar to natural teeth.
2. Does removing existing silver filling from teeth hurt?
   Depending on the size and depth of the cavity or filling, sensitivity may be experienced. Our dentists will relieve this by numbing the area to be treated.
3. How do I know if I am allergic to this new material?
   Unlike allergy to metals, it is very rare to be allergic to composites.
4. Should I have amalgam fillings removed because they contain mercury?
   At Smile Experts, we generally advise the removal of amalgam fillings when they are fractured or decayed, or when you desire a more aesthetically pleasing alternative. Should you have any health concerns about the mercury in amalgams, please discuss with our dentist during your consultation. We minimise your exposure to the mercury vapor released when removing the amalgam fillings; we do this by practicing effective barrier and evacuation techniques. This is done to ensure your comfort and safety.
5. How much does this procedure cost?
   At Smile Experts our approach is to customise treatments for each individual person. We believe that, by doing this, we are able to ensure maximum value for patients as they are charged only for the treatments they need and not for general dental packages, that may include treatments or services not needed. So the cost will very much depend on each specific patients programme.

Significantly stronger than normal fillings, inlays and onlays can:

1. Restore large cavities or replace large fillings effectively and predictably.
2. Made of porcelain, they are not only strong once bonded, but look natural as well. Unlike Amalgams which looks black or silver.
3. More conservative than doing crowns (if structurally the tooth is still intact)

1. Consultation appointment (Approximately 30 min)
   Detailed examination and analysis of your occlusion (bite), to check for any parafunction (like night-grinding/clenching).
2. First appointment (Approximately 1 hour)
   Prepare the teeth and take impressions for the inlays/onlays.
3. Our dentists will work with our in-house laboratory to fabricate the inlays and onlays for you.
4. Second appointment (Approximately 1 hour)
   Seating of completed inlays/onlays and permanently bonding them to the teeth.
5. Review of completed inlays/onlays.

Do note that in some cases when patients have parafunctional habits like night-grinding (Bruxism) or clenching, night-guards may be prescribed for protection of these inlays/onlays.

1. How durable are these inlays and onlays?
   The survival rate has been shown to be 85% over a period of 10 years.
2. How much does this procedure cost?
   At Smile Experts our approach is to customise treatments for each individual person. We believe that, by doing this, we are able to ensure maximum value for patients as they are charged only for the treatments they need and not for general dental packages, that may include treatments or services not needed. So the cost will very much depend on each specific patients programme.