Treatments Tooth Whitening| Tooth Whitening |
|
Tooth whitening is a way of simply changing the colour of the teeth without changing the shape.
There are two main methods of whitening teeth:
In-surgery whitening (also known as non-laser whitening)Evidence has shown that the use of the laser light is not effective in the whitening process, and we therefore do not use the laser or dental light during this procedure. This treatment is provided in the practice. A higher concentration of whitening gel is placed on the teeth. The procedure takes approximately 1 to 1 hour 30 minutes. We normally expect that a minimum of two sessions will be needed to achieve a reasonable change in colour, however some people need more sessions or the home kit additionally. Home whiteningThe home whitening kit is provided to be undertaken at home. Impressions of your teeth are taken at the practice, then whitening trays are fabricated. A whitening gel is squeezed into the trays which are placed over the teeth. Usually these are worn overnight for up to 30 nights. Ultra Combination packagesThe ultra combination package is a system combining the home whitening and in-surgery whitening to achieve the best results. The Home Whitening Kit:Impressions of the teeth are taken in the surgery. From these impressions, upper and lower bleaching trays are made, which are tight-fitting trays designed for your mouth. Some tubes of whitening gel will be supplied. A small amount of the gel is placed in the front surface of each tooth-well in the tray. The aim is to cover the front surface of the teeth with a very thin layer of gel. The tray is placed on your teeth, and wiping away any excess. Approximately a third to a half a tube of gel is used per whitening tray. The tray is left in the mouth for 2-8 hours, or overnight. If the teeth are sensitive before starting treatment, then the tray should be placed in the mouth for only 2-4 hours, then any sensitivity checked for 24 hours post treatment. If there is no increase in sensitivity, then the wearing time can be increased. Gradually over several applications the teeth will lighten. The amount of whitening varies with the individual. Most patients achieve a change within 2-5 weeks when using the home kit. It is advisable not to drink tea, coffee or red wine, or eat berries or curries after treatment for at least a month. In-surgery Whitening:The active ingredient is carbamide peroxide for the home kit and hydrogen peroxide for the in-surgery whitening. Both types are in a glycerine base. If any allergies are known or you are aware of an adverse reaction to these ingredients, please do not proceed with this treatment. As with any treatment there are benefits and risks. The benefit is that teeth can be whitened fairly quickly in a simple manner. The risk involves the continued use of the peroxide solution for an extended period of time. The Whitening treatment should not be used if pregnant. There have been no adverse reactions but long-term clinical effects are unknown. Tooth Whitening - Frequently Asked Questions:
What do I do if I have sensitivity?Sensitivity of teeth is the most common side effect of bleaching. In fact, many patients suffer from sensitive teeth anyway; this occurs usually around the necks of the teeth where the gums have receded. If you are experiencing sensitivity, you should stop bleaching your teeth for a few days. You can resume after about 3-4 days. If the teeth become significantly sensitive, you can place UltraEze gel or Gel Kam into the bleaching trays for 2-4 hours (up to a maximum of 8 hours) a day which will usually stop the sensitivity. Alternatively, you can rub desensitizing toothpaste into the gum margins with your finger up to 5 times per day for a few days. If you are at all concerned, please contact us. What happens if the teeth do not bleach evenly?If the teeth have white spots on them before bleaching, these spots will appear whiter during the first few days; however, the contrast between the spots and the rest of the tooth should become less as treatment continues and eventually the spots should be less noticeable. Sometimes, the dentist can do a special procedure called microabrasion for you, whereby the white spots can be more permanently removed. Ask your dentist about this procedure if you are concerned about this. You may notice new white spots occurring on the teeth while you are undertaking the bleaching treatment. These white spots were already present on the tooth before bleaching. As the teeth become lighter, they become more visible. Do not worry, as the whole tooth itself becomes lighter these spots should become less noticeable. Some teeth may appear banded with lighter/whiter areas. Again, these bandings were originally present on the tooth. When the tooth is dark, these bandings are not obvious. As the tooth becomes lighter, the lighter parts of the tooth will lighten first, followed by the darker banded area. After a week or so these should become less noticeable. How will my teeth feel?Normally the teeth feel very clean after the bleaching procedure. The bleaching materials also have an indirect effect on the gums in helping them to heal or improving health. This is how the technique was invented: it was first used to heal gum irritation during orthodontic treatment. What about my smile?Your smile will appear brighter. It is very rare, but sometimes the teeth do not lighten at all. If this happens and you are wearing the bleaching trays as recommended, you may need to try a different bleaching product or a slightly higher concentration of the bleaching material. We could do a few in-surgery whitening sessions for you in the practice. Discuss this with us. If you have white fillings or other dental restorations, such as crowns, veneers, bridges or dentures in your mouth that match the existing shade of your teeth before you bleach your teeth, they may not match the teeth afterwards. This is because your teeth will lighten, but the restorations do not. When the desired colour has been achieved, the dentist can replace these fillings with a lighter shade of restoration to match the new shade of your teeth. Normally the dentist will wait a week before changing the restorations. How long does the bleaching last? Will I have to bleach my teeth again?Normally the new white colour of your teeth keeps quite well. However, the effect is dependent on what has caused the teeth to discolour in the first place. If you drink lots of coffee, red wine or cola drinks, the effect may darken slightly. Some patients do a top-up treatment after 1-7 years; some patients do not need to. Does bleaching harm the teeth or gums?Safety studies have shown that bleaching teeth using the dentist-prescribed home bleaching technique is perfectly safe on the teeth, cheeks, gums and tissues of the mouth. Bleaching the teeth with dentist-prescribed kits is equivalent to drinking one soda drink. The bleaching material has a neutral pH. Are over the counter/internet bleaching kits as effective?There have been some problems with some of the bleaching kits that are purchased over the counter or on the internet. These have not been prescribed by a dentist. Although they are inexpensive, they sometimes contain an acid rinse that can damage the teeth or thin down the enamel of the teeth, which can be extremely harmful. There has been one case where a patient purchased the kit over the counter and bleached the teeth. The teeth went darker and the patient continued over-using the treatment. Unfortunately the acid rinse had worn the enamel away and the darker shade was exposed dentine. Can I smoke during treatment?It is best to stop smoking for at least three weeks before commencing the bleaching procedure. Smoking causes the teeth to darken anyway and the effects will be diminished. Do not smoke whilst the bleaching trays are in your mouth. Which method is better, home bleaching or in-surgery whitening?In our experience our patients have achieved whiter teeth with the home kit and the whiteness seems to last longer. The in-surgery whitening is advisable for patients who would not dedicate the time to home whitening. How white will my teeth go?This depends on how white you want your teeth to be and on your tooth type, the causes of the discoloration, and how much whitening you will have done. We find that yellow shaded teeth bleach more easily than grey shaded teeth, which take longer to whiten. |
