Dentist supervised home systems are generally safer and more effective than over-the-counter kits, although they cost more. With these systems the dentist makes a mold of your teeth. This mold is then used to create custom mouth trays which snugly fit your teeth.

The patient takes the trays and bleaching agent home. Each night for three to four weeks the patient places bleaching agent on the trays and places the trays in his or her mouth. A brief visit or two to the dentist ensures that you are doing the home treatments correctly and allows the dentist to inspect your gums for irritation.

What we like about these systems is that the mouth trays are custom made to fit each individual's mouth. This means that bleaching agent is less likely to be swallowed or less likely to seep onto and irritate gum tissue.

Second, when using these systems the patient visits the dentist office to ensure that the procedure is proceeding smoothly. This allows the dentist to make sure the custom trays are fitting properly. More importantly, it allows the dentist to check for gum irritation / damage and allows the dentist to check for tooth sensitivity. These are the most common side effects of bleaching.

We find that the Opal Essence dentist supervised home bleaching system provides excellent results. Our colleagues have found that the Nice White system also provides great results. These systems can cost between $250-$300 per arch ($500-$600 for all of your teeth).

Next, we take a look at dental office bleaching procedures, ways to whiten teeth using a Laser >>>