Teeth Whitening
The color of teeth is not the same in every person. Many have dark or yellow teeth congenitally. In others the teeth become darker due to diet, medications and smoking. An important factor is age, since as we grow older our teeth become darker.
Bleaching (whitening) is an aesthetic technique by which we improve the color of teeth (usually anterior). Several substances are used to remove pigmentation and offer whiter and brighter teeth.
It can be done in the doctor’s office, in a session or at home with a special splint for a few days, or start with a visit to the dental office and finish at home for a better result.
The cases applied are
In naturally yellow teeth
Teeth staining due to diet or smoking
Tooth staining from medications such as tetracycline
Tooth staining due to excessive absorption of substances such as fluoride
The basic methods of bleaching
Home
Teeth whitening at home is more time consuming but has less cost.
10% – 35% carbamide peroxide or 6% – 9.5% hydrogen peroxide is used%
It is a simple and relatively safe technique. The bleaching agent is applied using special splints that apply to your teeth . When, for how long and for how many days you have to place the splint with the bleach depends on the type of preparation.
Dentist
In the dental office, the teeth whitening is done in a single visit, but has a higher cost.
15% – 38% hydrogen peroxide is applied in gel form to the front teeth mainly
The average duration of treatment ranges from 30 to 60 minutes for each jaw
The aesthetic results are visible immediately after the completion of the treatment.
The change of hue is different in each person due to the different intensity and type of discoloration and the characteristics of each tooth
Contraindicated to individuals under 18 years old
Contraindicated in pregnant women and lactating women
The combination of both methods
The general effect of both methods is very similar. The best result is achieved by combining both methods, namely, whitening in the dental office and continuing treatment at home.
FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
In general, a whitening treatment will last 1-3 years. Of course, apart from the absorbency of enamel in pigments that varies from person to person, an important role is played by smoking, and the diet rich in chromogenic factors such as coffee, tea, red wine and in general foods that stain the white clothes. However, your teeth will remain whiter than before the start of treatment.
Whitening works only on natural teeth. It will not work in any case on “artificial teeth” such as crowns, or fillings etc.
Whitening can cause a temporary sensitivity to the teeth. The sensitivity usually lasts no more than one to two days after the end of treatment although in rare cases these phenomena can last longer. Treatment of sensitivity is carried out with special agents (special gels or toothpastes). Also sometimes it can cause irritation of the gums that is usually reversible without any treatment.
It is usually recommended to bleach no more than three times during your lifespan
- Avoid food or drinks that can dye your teeth and reduction and /or cessation of smoking.
- maintain excellent oral hygiene by brushing the teeth after each meal (with whitening toothpaste preferably), if mouthwash is used, should not contain chlorhexidine.
In some cases this is possible. In those cases, the type of the patient’s teeth (each patient’s teeth react differently to bleaching materials) and not the whitening material itself or the dentist’s treatment in general.
No, soda will make the teeth look brighter but not whiter. Also soda destroys tooth enamel and causes sensitivities. Do not try it, you will hurt your teeth.
Yes, always. The plaque prevents the proper effect of bleaching materials.