Two ways to whiten — and when each makes sense
At our clinic in Mar Elias, Beirut, we offer in-chair LED whitening — a supervised session where a professional-strength gel is activated under controlled light, with your gums protected throughout — and custom take-home trays, made from moulds of your own teeth, that whiten more gradually over one to two weeks. Many patients combine the two: a session in the chair for the jump, trays at home to stabilise and top up the shade. Which suits you depends on your starting shade, your timeline and how sensitive your teeth are — that's a five-minute conversation at your examination, not a guess.
Why supervised whitening beats a pharmacy kit
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Gel strength | Dentists can legally use significantly stronger, properly dosed gel than any over-the-counter product |
| Gum protection | The most common injury from home kits is a chemical burn to the gums — in the chair, your gums are isolated first |
| Custom trays | Pharmacy strips whiten unevenly; trays moulded to your teeth hold the gel exactly where it should be |
| The check first | Whitening over decay, cracks or inflamed gums hurts and fails — we treat those first, which no boxed kit can do |
As with everything at this clinic, no prices are published because the right plan varies — after your examination you get a written, fixed quote for the option that actually fits your teeth.
How it works
- Examination first. We check for decay, cracks and gum inflammation — whitening over any of these is painful and uneven. Most patients also benefit from a hygiene visit first, because whitening over tartar wastes the gel.
- Shade record. Your starting shade is recorded, so the change is measured, not imagined.
- In-chair session (~1 hour) — gums protected, gel applied and light-activated in cycles — or take-home trays worn as instructed for 1–2 weeks.
- Aftercare. A short "white diet" for the first days, sensitivity advice that actually works, and your trays kept for future top-ups.
The honest fine print
Whitening only lightens natural teeth — crowns, veneers and fillings keep their colour. That's why whitening comes before any visible restorations are made, never after. Some staining (greyish, from medication) responds poorly, and no honest dentist promises a specific number of shades before seeing your teeth. Temporary sensitivity for a day or two is common and manageable; lasting damage is not, when the treatment is supervised. If whitening won't give you the result you're hoping for, we'll say so at the examination and tell you what would.
A real whitening result from this clinic
Photographed here and published with the patient's written consent — see more in the case gallery.