Anyone had their teeth bleached?

[Verynice]

It's the thing where they take a mould of your teeth, a week later you get the mould and some gel which you apply to the teeth daily for a few hours wearing this mould thing.

How uncomfortable is it?
How effective is it?
Is it worth £295?

Bump?

Yes, it did work and lightened my teeth by a few shades but still natural looking. By God it hurt though. I have never had sensitive teeth but it was really painful! I had to wear it overnight not just a few hours.

Oh shit. So you won't sleep with it then? That might not work for me. I spoke to the guy on the phone today and he said you wear it for 2 hours a day or whatever you can tolerate which is why I've asked lol.

Hmm. God, can they not just put a white filling over your goddamned teeth.

What other alternatives are there then - my teeth are decayed and have fillings on the front of the top two which are really only half filled in. as they said they only do cavities with the NHS. What I really need is fillings on the top few.
Beauty is pain though right?

I did it anyway. Left a day between each treatment. There are not that many as I remember. Have they said what will happen with your fillings? Any discoloration will remain uneven when lightened too.

I've got the same filling problem and was told that this wasn't worth it for me, as the filling wouldn't be the same colour.

I was told veneers were the only option, and I think they are a few grand.

Dr George’s Dental White is very good. I got some online a few years ago for about £25. Works brilliantly and no sensitivity. I highly recommend. My dentist said my teeth are perfect so the gel isn’t harsh.

Oh and I used it for about 20 minutes per day and noticed a massive difference after just a few days.

So you have visible cavities? I don't think you could use bleach.

I've a lot of filling on my front teeth and was told they couldn't be bleached as it made no difference to the fillings. I've also a crown that's the wrong colour. I hate my teeth. I'd love veneers but they're expensive and I think can look a bit "horsey".

I did this with stuff and the mould from my dentist, but it was nearer £500. Didn't hurt at all and it really made a positive difference. Teeth still look good a couple of years later.

I had mine done, it made a huge difference, really brightened up my whole face.

I wouldn’t leave it on over night, I did mine for 30 mins a day and then just built the time up to an hour a day. Over night is over kill.

You must have an hour during the day when you can do it?

Ive used the mould. I used it for three weeks initially over night which really lifted the colour. Some nights I felt it slightly but not much and on those mornings I used a sensitive toothpaste. I should do it once a month to keep the colour up but I'm so forgetful so I'm going to do s few nights this week on the run up to my holiday. If there is any sensitivity it's slight and not permanent. Like I don't feel it now.

You need to see a dentist and get assessed on whether you are dentally fit to have whitening done. If you need treatment like fillings, have that done first. Cosmetic work is not available on the NHS, but composite veneers could be a cheaper alternative - and less destructive - to porcelain veneers if that’s a better option.

No - guy on phone said to have my check-up done first as I may need some work done which they'd do first and I was thinking, I'd rather bleach them first, and then get the fillings done in whatever shade they ended up. @walburton

@walmartin even

What are 'composite veneers could be a cheaper alternative' ? @Judystilldreamsofhorses

I have the sum total of £1500 to spend. So I have to go for the cheapest available option that will sort the fuckers out.

@Naboothatswho My teeth are probably past the point of rescue for anything over the counter, but in case not - do you have a link to whatever the Dr George stuff is?

very composite veneers are veneers made of composite instead of porcelain. Porcelain veneers need your teeth to be shaved down before they can be fitted, whereas composite sits on top of your natural teeth. I don't have them, but my friend got some done and they look great.

I definitely wouldn't be embarking on cosmetic dentistry if I had decay or other issues that needed treated - I'd get that sorted first.

I did the overnight tray gel bleaching. It did make a tiny difference, but only a tiny one. According to my dentist those gels will only restore your teeth to the whiteness that they were originally, they won't lighten them beyond that, so if your teeth were not very white to start with you may be disappointed with the result.
Re the overnight vs. day thing, there are two different gels, one for overnight, and one for day. You can use the same tray for either. My dentist gave me the overnight one because she said she has fewer reports of sensitivity with it.
For some people it can take a fortnight to make any difference, and you have to be very careful what you eat so that you don't restain the teeth while they are "open" to absorbing staining food. So no coffed, tea, red wine, chocolate, tomato-based foods - I ended up eating a white diet to be on the safe side and not have to think about it, and drank one fairly milky coffee a day through a straw to avoid it washing on my front teeth. That was by far the most annoying aspect of the whole thing.
If you have visible fillings, think twice. As I understand it, if you bleach and then fill, as your teeth gradually resume their original colour, the fillings will probably show. Check with your dentist.