Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment that offers an affordable option to restore teeth to a beautiful bright, white smile. For a prolonged bright white look, “touch ups” may be needed occasionally.
Whitening in dentistry refers to restoring a tooth’s surface color by removing dirt and debris, as used in a whitening toothpaste. Teeth bleaching refers to products that contain hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.
Enamel is composed of microscopic rods. The enamel is present to protect our teeth from everyday effects of chewing, trauma and acid attacks caused by sugar. Over the years, enamel becomes worn down and transparent, exposing the yellow color of the dentin (core material inside the tooth) to show through.
Teeth whitening removes stain and debris from the enamel rods, and leaving the rods open and exposed. The cleaned out rods transmit the light better and allows the natrual white color to show through. These rods may sometimes fill again with debris and the teeth may appear dull or discolored again.
In-Office professional teeth whitening utilizes hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide in a variety of treatment options. Patients will see the fastest results with the In-Office Zoom! procedure.
Prior to beginning your In-Office Zoom! Whitening procedure, a dental Tooth Shade Guide is used to measure the “Before whitening” shade. Typically, a person will see a change of two to seven shades after the whitening procedure, when again a shade is taken to evaluate the results.
The “At Home” custom trays require commitment to the program to see the desired results of increased brightness and whiteness of the teeth. This utilizes a lower concentration of the peroxide gel and delivers results over an extended period of time.
With both procedures, your dentist will make recommendations for post-whitening care. It is important to follow all the recommendations to maintain and extend the longevity of the whitening procedure you have decided upon.
The following may be recommended:
When procedures are followed, teeth whitening is considered safe. Some risks to be aware of are increased temporary sensitivity, usually for a day or two. A desensitizing paste may be recommended to reduce this risk. Gum irritation can occur if the bleach comes in contact with the gums with use of custom trays. Follow directions carefully when placing gel into the tray to avoid this.
© Copyright BellaVista DentalCare. All Rights Reserved.
Invisalign, among others, is a registered trademark of Align Technology, Inc.