When used the right way and in the right amount, this can effectively remove the stains on the surface of the teeth. Majority of these stains that can be removed by the paste include stains made by drinking coffee or by smoking. The paste can be used as well in the bleaching and at the same time best used when maintaining that shiny white teeth. After that, a dental exam is conducted to check for cracks, tooth decay and gum problems. Photographs will then be taken which will be used as a benchmark when assessing the whitening progress. The shade of your teeth will also be measured thru the Vitapan shade guide to arrive at a correct shade that your teeth should have. And when used under the dentist-supervised procedure, this form of bleaching is used as complemented by a special light or the laser. In many cases, in just one visit the expected results can be seen immediately. But if the intent is to get that dramatic results in the form of shiny white teeth, then the person will need a number of visits to the dentist. The strips on the other hand are thin strips that are coated with the gel fortified by hydrogen peroxide. These strips are also attached to the teeth twice a day. The strips should remain in your teeth for at least 30 minutes before these strips can be removed. The use of the strips should be done on a continuing basis for the next 2 weeks, same thing with the gels. The dentin is very similar to the enamel except it is not as hard and as shiny and while the enamel is generally white in appearance, the dentin is not. Extrinsic tooth stains forms in the enamel while for the most part, intrinsic stains that show trough the enamel occur in the dentin. First, the tooth enamel is a highly mineralized very hard part of the tooth composed of strand of rod-like crystalline materials. And what you do after is to religiously brush your teeth as recommended by the manufacturer of the product. The other way is the simplest. You get the services of the professional that offers professional teeth whitening services. This is the most cost-effective way of managing your teeth without having to wait for weeks for results.