At-home tooth whitening

Peroxides have been used to whiten teeth for over a hundred years. The popularity of dental whitening has increased with the introduction of nightguard vital whitening in 1989, as the appearance of the dentition and the color of the teeth have increasingly become a concern for a large number of people. Current methods for at-home whitening include materials prescribed by dental professionals, bleaching products available over the counter to use without the involvement of a dental professional, and “do-it-yourself” methods widely advertised on the Internet. This chapter compares the effi cacy of the most popular at-home whitening techniques, including dental professional-prescribed at-home tray whitening with carbamide peroxide (a precursor of hydrogen peroxide), over-the-counter whitening, and combined in-offi ce with at-home tray whitening. At-home tooth whitening with a custom-fi tted tray is the safest and most effective technique if carried out under the supervision of a dental professional. This chapter reviews the advantages and disadvantages of different at-home whitening techniques, respective side effects, and treatment recommendations based on current scientifi c information. Clinical cases will illustrate clinically relevant at-home whitening techniques.