One of the challenges in providing teeth whitening services is mastering a baseline that effectively demonstrates to patients the changes they can expect. Let’s explore some tips and tricks from Fern Whitening Supplies to help you establish a proper baseline.
Setting Up Expectations
A key difficulty in establishing a baseline is that patients may not fully understand the current shade of their teeth. Some might believe they will achieve dramatic results in one session, not realizing they have significantly darker teeth, while others might expect a large change when they are already quite bright.
The biggest misconception stems from a lack of education about how teeth whitening works. Unlike hair bleaching, which adds colour, teeth whitening is more accurately described as teeth lightening. The whitening provider does not create a new shade; instead, they apply a gel formula designed to lift and remove accumulated stains, returning teeth to their natural brightness. This means that results will vary greatly from person to person.
Social media has further complicated this understanding, as many creators showcase overly bright results. The truth is that these results can often be due to tooth dehydration. After 24-48 hours, the teeth will return to a lower shade level. This underscores the importance of ensuring that patients grasp the variability of results.
How to Provide a Baseline
There are two primary methods for establishing a baseline: taking a picture or using a shade guide.
- Pros: A photo serves as tangible proof of a patient’s initial shade. It can also highlight issues like incipient white spots or fluorosis, which may not be immediately apparent. If these features are visible after treatment, the photo can demonstrate that they were always present, just illuminated by the gel.
- Cons: Before-and-after photos can be misleading. High-quality gel formulas take about 24 hours to break down fully, so the immediate results may not reflect the final outcome. Additionally, technicians can skew results using filters, excessive LED lighting, or taking photos with blue contrasts.
- Pros: Shade guides can effectively show the movement up the scale, helping patients visualize their progress.
- Cons: Traditional shade guides may not accurately represent real teeth, which often have uneven colour. For example, the mandibular arch is usually darker than the maxillary arch, and maxillary cuspids tend to be darker than the rest of the maxillary arch. It’s crucial to use a bleaching shade guide, as regular guides are based on composite filler colors and do not accurately reflect a dehydrated tooth's shade.
Fern's Recommended Approach
Fern Whitening Supplies advocates for a hybrid approach to establishing a baseline. First and foremost, make it clear to your patients that all results vary and that they should check their shade 24 hours post-treatment and even again two weeks later for complete absorption.
Before-and-after photos can be useful for your records and may be shared with patients if desired. Shade guides should be used selectively, as they can take more time to establish a baseline and may not always be necessary.
For the best results, chat with Fern Whitening Supplies today to ensure you're using top-quality whitening products!