Our teeth tend to discolour or become yellowish because we drink coffee, tea, alcohol, or smoking etc. High-level of fluoride in water can also cause discolouring. This can be rectified to a great extent by a process called whitening or bleaching.
At our clinic we offer a combination of 2 systems.
1) In-office bleaching system which lasts for about an hour.
2) Take-home bleaching system (bleaching trays and material) to be applied at night.
This dual system is recommended only after clinical evaluation of the oral hygiene of the patient. A patient has a choice of procedures. The combination of the systems is found to be safe and effective in most cases. Our bleaching systems are FD & CE accredited.
If you are self-conscious of the colour of your teeth every time you try to smile, then you should consider going in for tooth whitening. In this modern age, everyone wants to look good, if not glamorous. Millions of people have had their teeth bleached, and probably millions more are thinking of doing so. Tooth Whitening safely lightens the colour of teeth, reduces discoloration and staining. As result, you have a confident and bright smile which normally lasts for up to five years.
The term " teeth whitening" encompasses a number of techniques employed to improve the brightness of a person’s teeth. Among them are chemical whitening, mild acid whitening, abrasive teeth brightening and the newest technique, laser teeth whitening.
How white will my teeth be after treatment?
Despite the tall claims of whitening teeth by up to nine shades, a change of two or three shades is realitic and will make a significant difference to just about anyone's smile. There is no one standard system in the dental field to measure and determine tooth colour but Vita Shade Guide is the one largely referred to by many in this field. This guide divides tooth colour into four basic shade ranges:
- Reddish Brown
- Reddish Yellow
- Gray
- Reddish Gray
In the A range there are five levels of darkness. Ranges B, C and D, each have four levels.
Not many of us are aware that our teeth are not all the same natural colour. Usually our eye teeth tend to be darker than the others, our front teeth are typically the whitest, and molars tend to be a shade between the two. Keeping your look natural, your dentist will try to give you the brightest possible smle. During your first consultation, your dentist will assess the extent of suitable smile he can provide. However, the final outcome will be determined not only by the structure of your teeth but by the type of procedure you and your dentist finally choose.
Advantages :
As a person smiles, your mouth is widens to expose your teeth. If your teeth are pearly white, your smile could be termed pleasant. However, if your teeth are not even, white and with defects, then you are not putting up a pleasant face. Whiter teeth are associated with youth, beauty and a healthier lifestyle. In addition, a whiter smile tends to minimize the effect of facial wrinkles, giving way to a more youthful and energetic appearance.
Whitening toothpaste can remove a stain that is on the outside of the teeth, what dentists call extrinsic staining. However, whitening toothpaste and professional dental cleanings can not change the colour or intrinsic staining of the teeth. That is why bleaching is so popular. Bleaching is much cheaper than crowns or veneers and research indicates that it is completely effective in more than 90% of people.
Disadvantages :
Some people experience discomfort from wearing the mouth guard. Your mouth should adjust in time but if you suspect that there is a problem with the fit of your mouth tray, you should call your dentist's office. It is possible to make small adjustments that would minimize or eliminate any discomfort.
Although bleaching is very effective, there can be short-term disadvantages, such as sore gums or teeth from the bleach. This will disappear when the treatment is discontinued. Some individuals are more chemically sensitive. If you have had problems with this in the past, inform your cosmetic dentist so that you can be tested for sensitivity to the solution.
Despite all the recent advances in bleaching, there are times when it is not possible to whiten a person’s teeth, either because there are large fillings, or veneers or crowns in place. Bleaching does not lighten artificial materials such as resins, silicants, or porcelains. Certain drugs taken in childhood, tetracyclines for instance, can leave dark colors that cannot be changed by chemical bleaching. In these cases, porcelain veneers or crowns can be used. They do have the advantage that teeth can be reshaped and repositioned in a very easy way, and the color change is permanent.
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