Frequently Asked Questions
How white will my teeth go?
The White House aims to always to achieve the best natural results, your teeth will go as white as they naturally can go, without looking fake white. Usually, we will get your teeth back to as white as they were when you were a teenager. The White House conducted a clinical study, carried out by our GDC registered dentist over a three month period recording the results from 178 patients. The results showed that 91% of all of these patients scored between 5 and 12 shades whiter after our 1-hour in-clinic teeth whitening treatment. For the 9% of patients that did not achieve these results, a 30 minute follow up appointment, which we provide free of charge achieved the desired results for most of them. The results are dependent on the type of staining and the mineral content contained within your teeth so results will, therefore, vary between individuals. We are so confident in our results that we have a full money-back guarantee, that we will achieve at least 5 shades whiter on the Vitapan Shade guide.
How long does it take?
The treatment itself takes between 30 – 40 minutes, we tailor every treatment to each individual to get the best results possible. When you come in we will go through everything with you and do a consultation so it usually takes about 1 hour in total. That is the complete treatment and you will see the results immediately after you have finished.
Is the treatment painful?
There is no pain involved in having our treatment, no needles or anything like that it is quite a comfortable and relaxing experience, you can just relax and watch TV during your treatment.
Will my teeth feel sensitive afterwards?
It is very rare that patients experience any sensitivity, we find that about 1 in 100 people will feel minor temporary sensitivity afterwards and this is something that would last a few hours, and in a worst-case scenario maybe up to 24 hours.
How long do the results last?
Usually, on average, it would take about 1-2 years to come back to the original shade that you were before coming into us. The natural re-staining process begins after you leave the clinic so your lifestyle and diet, as well as the mineral content of your teeth all have a factor on how long the results last. We have an advanced home whitening maintenance kit which used for 30 minutes every 3-4 weeks will keep your teeth white for up to 2 years, if you would prefer to be seen by our qualified dentist for an appointment we can do a top-up treatment for £85. Both of these can be discounted if you purchase on the day of your treatment so ask your dental professional about the different options and discounts available.
Is the process harmful to teeth?
No, the effect on teeth is no different to the effect from commonly ingested foods or regular dental procedures. Our Professional Teeth Whitening system has been proven to have no short or long term negative effects on the enamel of teeth, on the dentin of teeth or the gums. In fact it is specially formulated to improve general oral health, while whitening.
I'm getting married, when should we get our teeth whitened?
Usually, a good time to come in and get your teeth whitened would be about 3 weeks before getting married. If you wish to have them whitened sooner we would suggest to have them done and then use your free or discounted top-up again maybe a week before the wedding this way you will already know where we are and what to expect. The top-up treatment only takes 20 minutes and we get very good results with this if you have had them whitened within the last 12 months.
Can I get my teeth whitened with crowns, veneers or false teeth?
Yes, our teeth whitening treatment can be done with crowns veneers or false teeth, however, it is not designed to whiten the false teeth veneers or crowns, all your natural teeth will be whitened as normal and the white fillings or crowns will get cleaned and remove stains and plaque that may have built up on the crowns restoring them to their original colour.
False teeth or crowns don’t have pores, dentin or enamel, therefore they do not discolour the same way as your natural teeth will, if the crowns have been in for a number of years you will probably notice the shade difference between your crowns and your natural teeth thefore, when the treatment is done your teeth will usually get whitened back to the shade that they were when the crowns were put in. If the crowns were put in recently to match your darker shade we would not recommend whitening your natural teeth as the new darker crowns will not match. If you are planning to have a crown, bridge, filling or false tooth, it is recommended that you first have your teeth whitened first so your dentist will then be able to match the shade of the false tooth to your new colour.
In any case, we will always do a no-obligation consultation to discuss the expected outcome and we can tailor each treatment for the individual, making sure that we don’t get any unwanted results.
Do I need to get a scale and polish before having my teeth whitened?
It is not necessary to have a scale and polish specifically prior to getting your teeth whitened, however, we recommend your regular visits to the dentist so just go whenever you are due. Any plaque or stains that have built up on the teeth, as well as stains that have built up deep within the teeth, will all be removed during the whitening treatment anyway, again this is not a replacement for having a scale and polish as we only whiten about 18 front-facing teeth that are in the natural smile. It would be necessary for you to have a scale and polish prior to having your teeth whitened if you have visible calculus (or tartar) built up on the outside of the teeth. Other than that just floss and brush on the day before coming in.
How soon can I get an appointment?
This is dependent on your own flexibility, we are open late nights on Thursdays and also open on Saturdays if you would like to reserve either of these times you would need to book in at least two weeks in advance. If you are more flexible we might be able to fit you in within a couple of days notice. Please contact 01-8904613 Ireland / 028 9066 7330 UK and one of our receptionists will book you in on a day and time that suits you. Opening Hours
Monday – Saturday 9am – 6pm /
Who can't get their teeth whitened?
Although there is no known side effects it is not permitted by the White House to undergo the treatment if you are currently pregnant or under the age of 18. Some of our clinics are wheelchair accessible but our treatment may not be suitable to undergo unless on our dental chair, please check with the clinic in advance. With certain disabilities, the in-clinic teeth whitening treatment may not be suitable. Please contact us for more information and to discuss suitability or for any advance information or special requirements needed. Our treatment is not suitable if you do not have any or mostly your own natural teeth, it will not work on dentures.
Terms and conditions of refund policy:
On the day of your treatment,
We aim to achieve a minimum of 5 shades whiter from your starting shade. If you do not achieve 5 shades whiter (measured on the international standard Vitapan Shade guide) on the day of your treatment, you are entitled to not pay for the treatment, or, we can offer you additional whitening sessions free of charge to achieve optimum and satisfactory results or a complimentary home kit if that is preferable. Payment of treatment on the day is accepted as customer satisfaction with results.
After the treatment is completed, there is a 24-hour white diet required. We cannot control this and the results will diminish if the white diet is not adhered to accidentally or otherwise.
We also understand that even with adhering to the white diet, in a small number of cases, a regression in colour can occur, which means, your teeth will no longer look as white as they were after the treatment. This might be due to the mineral content of the teeth which is different for every individual.
If Regression occurs…
- Please don’t hesitate to get back in contact with us to discuss it and we will arrange for you to come back to us for a review.
- When returning we will take new shade measurements and compare this to your old shade. We will discuss this with you and we can then decide what’s best to do.
Generally speaking, a second treatment (free of charge) will resolve 90% of the regression cases as we usually achieve optimum results that last, or, we can offer a free Teeth Whitening Home Kit which you can continue to use at home to help improve results. The options will be given by our dental professional during the review and it will be your choice depending on your own personal circumstances and case.
- If you completed a second treatment but have still not achieved the desired minimum 5 shades whiter, or, a regression occurs again, you will still be entitled to a full refund as per our 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Unfortunately, about 2% of people’s teeth will not hold the whiter shade due to the mineral content and composition of the enamel and dentine of the teeth, therefore, further sessions results would likely just regress again anyway.
- If you prefer to have your money back instead of having a second treatment, we will gladly provide you with a full refund after we verify that there is less than a 5 shade improvement.
- The shade check, Re-treatment and Refund must be completed within a maximum of 30 days of initial treatment.