Whiten First, Then Bond

Why the Order Matters

Whitening gel acts only on natural enamel. Composite and porcelain are a different story: their shade is picked at the appointment to blend with your teeth as they are that day, and nothing will lighten them afterwards. Have your teeth bonded and then whiten, and the natural teeth brighten while the composite stays put, leaving a visible mismatch. The only cure is to redo or resurface the bonding, from £375 a tooth.

Reverse the order and the issue disappears. Your own teeth reach the colour you want, the composite or porcelain is made to that colour, and the smile reads as a single shade. A natural B1 is the most common choice, though the bonding can be brighter or softer to suit your age and taste. Getting the sequence right costs nothing and spares you a second round of treatment.

How Long to Leave Between Them

About two weeks after you finish whitening, for two separate reasons. The first is shade. Teeth are at their brightest the moment whitening ends; over the next few days, as the enamel rehydrates, they drop back a touch, so composite matched on your last whitening day would end up fractionally too white. The second is strength. Composite does not grip freshly whitened enamel quite as firmly, and a fortnight's gap lets the bond reach full strength.

Treat two weeks as a guide. If the shade is still shifting or your teeth are sensitive, we would rather wait a few extra days than chase a moving colour. Dr Pei re-checks the colour on the day of bonding, with nothing yet placed.

The Whitening Itself

You can choose between two systems. Both begin with a dental examination to check for decay and gum disease and to record any fillings, crowns or veneers that will not change. An iTero Element scan, rather than putty, gives us trays that fit closely, and at the fitting we demonstrate the right amount of gel and note your starting shade.

• Boutique home whitening: a short daily wear at home for two to three weeks, then a review. £350, or £315 for plan members, and included in every composite bonding and Invisalign package.
• Enlighten: two weeks of trays at home followed by a finishing visit in the practice, with a guaranteed B1 shade. £650; ask about choosing it in place of Boutique in a bonding plan.

Short-lived sensitivity is common with either and settles once you stop.² Whitening is not offered to under-18s unless a dental condition calls for it, nor during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. More on both systems is on our whitening page.

The Usual Sequence

• Straightening comes first, where it is needed. Invisalign moves the teeth into their final positions, so any bonding or veneers can be slimmer, and sometimes are not needed. Our Invisalign packages already include whitening and Vivera retainers.
• Whitening sets the colour. Everything that comes later is matched to it.
• Bonding or veneers follow. Composite is layered, or porcelain made, to the whitened shade.
• Night-time retainers finish the job. They stop teeth drifting and help protect the bonding.

Every smile makeover we plan is built on this order. Doing it this way is why the results hold up: no step has to be repeated later, because each one is done on teeth that are already where they will stay, and the colour they will stay.

Existing Fillings, Crowns and Bonding

Restorations do not respond to whitening gel. White fillings, crowns, bonding and veneers keep the shade they have now, which means that once the natural teeth lighten, they may look darker by comparison. Where they show, we build replacing or refreshing them into the plan for after whitening, and we point out beforehand which ones will probably need it. Restorations on back teeth that nobody sees are usually best left alone.

A common example is a set of old composite veneers that have discoloured or always looked artificial. The neat solution is to whiten the natural teeth and then remake the veneers at the lighter shade, solving both problems in a single plan. Because every filling and crown is recorded at the dental examination before you start, nothing about the result should take you by surprise.

Already Had Bonding?

Whitening is still possible. The natural enamel will brighten while existing composite stays as it is, so the bonding is refreshed afterwards to match. On one or two teeth this is a brief visit, from £375 a tooth. Where bonding covers six or more front teeth, a full refresh priced as a package, which includes the whitening, is often better value.

Whitening is also a good moment to take stock of older bonding. Composite that has discoloured, chipped repeatedly or never blended in properly is usually better replaced than repaired once the new shade is in place. Our bonding care guide covers the signs that a refresh is due.

Start to Finish

• Consultation. A check of your teeth and gums, the scan for your trays and an agreed written plan. No fee, and the £40 deposit is returned after you attend.
• Whitening. Boutique runs for two to three weeks at home; Enlighten is two weeks at home and then a practice visit.
• A pause. Roughly a fortnight while the colour steadies and the enamel regains its full bonding strength.
• Bonding or veneers. One visit for most edge bonding, one or two for composite veneers, and about three to four weeks for porcelain, design to fitting.
• Review. A fortnight or so later, to check your bite and finish with a polish.

Whitening and bonding together typically take six to eight weeks from the first night with your trays to the last polish, depending on availability. Patients working in Canary Wharf, five minutes away on the Jubilee line, often book these visits around the working day, and the written plan gives you the dates.

Questions

This guide explains the options in general terms. Only an examination can tell you which of them suits your own teeth.