Planning Whitening Before Your Wedding or a Big Event: When to Book
Whether it’s a wedding, a milestone birthday or a big work event, one of the most common questions is when to book whitening. The short answer: earlier than most people think, and not the week of.
Book four to six weeks out
Booking a few weeks ahead gives you breathing room. It allows time for a scale and clean first if you need one, time for your shade to settle after treatment, and time to top up if you’d like a little more brightness closer to the day.
Why not the week before?
Straight after whitening, teeth are slightly dehydrated and can look brighter than where they’ll settle over the following days. Some people also experience temporary sensitivity in the first 24 hours, and lips can feel dry from having your mouth open during treatment. None of this is a problem normally, but it’s not what you want to be managing the day before photos.
If you need a scale and clean first
If there’s visible surface staining or calculus, a scale and clean before whitening gives the gel a cleaner surface to work with. We recommend spacing a clean and whitening about a week apart, so factor that into your timeline.
A simple timeline
• Eight weeks out: book your consultation, and a scale and clean if it’s recommended.
• Four to six weeks out: in-chair whitening.
• The final week: optional top-up with take home kit, or Opalescence Go ready to use disposable trays.
• The final week: an quick touch up, with the Philips Zoom on-the-go whitening pen, before photos.
Have fillings, crowns or veneers on your front teeth?
These don’t whiten the way natural enamel does, so it’s worth booking your consultation even earlier. That gives time to talk through how they’ll look against your whitened teeth, and to see your dentist if anything needs replacing to match.
Whitening with your bridal party
Group bookings can be arranged at the Collingwood clinic, which can be a nice pre-wedding activity. Each person is still seen individually. Get in touch to arrange a booking for your bridal party.
Read next: How a Scale & Clean Complements Your Whitening
Book a whitening consultation.
Results vary between individuals. Book an appointment to find out what’s right for your teeth.