Do all teeth whitening are successful?

Generally, tooth whitening is successful in at least 90% of patients. Not all teeth achieve the same whiteness, each one has its own maximum whiteness beyond which it will not bleach, regardless of the technique or material used.

Peroxide goes through the enamel (the outermost layer) and dentin (middle layer) to the pulp (innermost layer) in 5 to 15 minutes. As a rule of thumb, yellow-coloured teeth respond well to whitening, while brownish-coloured teeth don’t respond as well. Gray stains caused by smoking, taking tetracycline or fluorosis (ingestion of too much fluoride) most likely will not be dramatically changed by tooth whitening.

Likewise, tooth whitening may not enhance bonding or tooth-coloured fillings because the whitener will not affect the colour of these materials, and they will not match your newly whitened smile. In such cases, you may have to use porcelain veneers or dental bonding on other teeth.