Teeth Whitening

1.What is Teeth Whitening?

2.What are the different types of Teeth Whitening?

3.Why do dentists charge differently for Teeth Whitening?

4.What are the problems with Teeth Whiteining?

5.Alternative to Teeth Whitening?

Day to day activities such as drinking tea, coffee, colas, red wine and smoking tobacco can cause undue stress and strain on the colour of your teeth.

If you are not happy with the discolouration of your teeth, we have a solution! Tooth whitening!

We offer three kinds of whitening

1. Home whitening which we generally suggest our patients to get as it is

Cheaper and
they get a better result with the new advanced materials that have been invented. (about 80% success rates)

Generally you spend about an hour a day for about 7 to 14 days and your teeth will be whiter and brighter

2. Office whitening (sometime called power bleaching but not as the product below) which generally takes about an hour to hour and a half of your time. (about 60% success rates). Examples are Pola Office, Opalescence, Zoom, Laser Smile, Rembrandt, Brite Smile, Smart Bleach, OpusWhite. All have the same relative result.

3. Deep Bleaching – The most advanced form of whitening that has the highest success rates.(almost 100% success rates)

Current research shows that whitening should be done in stages. That is you whiten once (whether home or office whitening) and then three to six months later you boost your whitening and then once more if you need to.

The most important thing though to consider is that you have a very healthy mouth before you carry out these procedures

There are two conditions you should be concerned about

Gum disease like gingivitis or periodontal disease. This is caused by a collection of tartar on your teeth. The whitening gel will whiten the tartar and damage your gums if you have any of these conditions and when in the future you get your teeth cleaned the teeth underneath will still be stained
Tooth decay. The whitening gel can creep into the nerve of your tooth causing severe pain if you have tooth decay

Therefore it is highly recommended that you have had a checkup done in the last three months before you have whitening done.

The last point to remember is that not everybody benefits from this procedure and therefore other solutions may be more appropriate such as veneers

1. Deep Bleaching

Involves 3 stages

One visit to the practice for priming your teeth
2 weeks of special home whitening that you wear overnight
Then the deep bleaching in the final visit in the practice

2. In-Surgery Whitening

Using the latest blue light technology and whitening solution, we can whiten your teeth in as little as an hour! Safe and very effective, your teeth will be between 6 to 8 shades lighter.

We also offer a take-home kit to top up the initial whitening treatment (this has an added cost to you office treatment) You will be given instructions and advice on the best time to use this and the continuing results you can expect.

Whitening your teeth will provide an instant lift to your smile to give you that extra confidence to show them off!

What actually happens with in-surgery whitening?

Your gums and lips are protected with barrier materials and a ‘before’ picture is taken. The whitening gel is applied on your teeth, and the blue light activates it. You relax. After three 8 to 20-minute cycles (just over an hour), the procedure is completed and an ‘after’ picture is taken. You rinse. You smile. Wow!

How white will my teeth get?

Clinical studies show that in-surgery whitening procedures deliver up to eight shades lighter and even higher for individuals with darker teeth. Results will vary as the starting points may be different and everyone’s teeth respond differently. During the consultation, we will go over what you can expect for your individual situation.

What if I have sensitive teeth?

About 10% of our clients may experience a dull ache following the procedure. Taking an analgesic almost always resolves the discomfort. It is best to avoid hot and cold drinks for the first 24 hours. We will provide you with an information sheet on how we can help you reduce the sensitivity as much as possible.

Does it work with crowns, veneers or bonding?

In-surgery whitening treatment cannot change the colour of your crowns, veneers or bonding. We will recommend the best course of action if we are whitening your teeth and are fitting crowns, veneers or bonding.

How long does it last?

On average, it lasts for 2-3 years, but the long-term results depend primarily on the individual. Certain habits, such as the use of tobacco products, drinking a lot of coffee, tea, dark soft drinks and infrequent visits to the dentist for regular cleanings etc. can work against the results.

How do I keep my teeth white?

Regular professional care can help maintain the whiteness for years. Some people may prefer to have the whitening procedure carried out every few years to maintain the whiteness or even simply topping up the whitening treatment with a take-home mini whitening kit.

3. Home Whitening

Trays with bleaching gels provide the best combination of the most affordable and most efficient tooth whitening available.

Most of the bleaching gels available are exactly the same. There is very little difference from one dentist to another, because the gels are formulated by the relatively the same chemical. The only difference between different brands is the concentration of the gels.

The higher the concentration of the gel the faster and better the bleaching process. However, the downside is the more sensitive your teeth get during the bleaching process. You should remember that the sensitivity is only temporary.

Most of the bleaching gels available at retail stores are of very poor quality. They've been sitting in a warehouse or on a truck for who knows how long - and, because they are designed to be "low cost" (with low cost being sometimes the only consideration), they have very low concentrations of active ingredients.

The process involved in home whitening is as follows

We need to make sure you teeth have had a good scale and clean in the last six months. If not then we need to get them cleaned. You wouldn’t want to whiten your tartar or calculus would you?

Impressions/moulds are taken to make special trays that fit your mouth

The gel is then placed in the trays and the tray inserted in your mouth for a set time we have suggested. Generally the higher the concentration, the shorter the period of time per day that you leave the gel in your mouth. As you whiten your teeth, carbamide peroxide is broken down and oxygen enters the enamel and dentin. This bleaches out the discolored areas. The structure of the tooth is not changed. The color of the tooth is simply made lighter.

Why do dentists charge differently?

Prices vary between various dentists based on

The type of material that has been supplied (hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide)
The concentration of the material provided (2% all the way to 35%)
the number of tubes that has been provided for home whitening
the number of cycles in office whitening ( one cycle to 4 cycles)

Don’t be fooled with cheap prices. There are always hidden charges when you actually get the procedure done.

Also it is always safer to have a dentist do your whitening (especially the office whitening) as in the dental practice we protect your gums and other tissues such as cheeks and lips from being burned. People who claim to do whitening and are not dental professionals can cause serious damage. There have been multiple cases of severe burns with whitening when not carried out by a dentist.

Potential Problems with Teeth Whitening

Tooth Sensitivity: During the first 24 hours following whitening many patients experience sensitivity. This sensitivity is usually mild unless your teeth are normally sensitive. With in-office whitening, this sensitivity will usually subside within 1-2 days. With take-home whitening, it may be necessary to reduce the number of hours you wear the tray or stop using it for a short time to resolve the sensitivity.

However, if your teeth are normally sensitive, whitening may make your teeth much more sensitive for an extended period of time. Under these circumstances, you may choose to delay whitening until we are able to complete desensitization procedures

Gum Irritation: Whitening may cause temporary inflammation of your gums. With In office whitening, this can be the result of very small amount of gel leaking under the gum protection. A burning sensation in your gums may also occur. This is a minor problem and will subside within a few days.

With take-home whitening, irritation can result from using the whitening tray too many hours when you first start whitening or using the tray too many hours in a row without a break. It may be necessary for you to reduce the number of hours you are wearing the tray or stop using it for a short time to resolve these gum problems. The tray may also overlap your gums, allowing the gel to contact your gums for an extended period. This problem can be resolved by returning to this office so that we can trim the tray to a position slightly short of your gums.

Sore Throat: Most take-home whitening gel is very thick and will not run down your throat if you overload the tray with gel. However, if your gel is lower in viscosity, the excess may go down your throat and cause soreness. This soreness will subside in several days. In the event that you feel gel in your mouth or throat, spit out the excess gel instead of swallowing it.

Leaking Fillings or Cavities: Most whitening is indicated for the outside of the teeth (unless you already had a root canal). However, if you have any fillings that are leaking and the gel gets into the inside of the teeth, damage to the nerves of the tooth could result. In this case, the fillings need to be redone prior to the whitening. In addition, open cavities can also allow gel to reach the nerves of the teeth. All cavities should also be filled before whitening.

If you would like more information on this subject, please contact Smile Concepts directly by clicking here or ringing 02 9267 7777