Professional Tooth Whitening Segments Discussed

As you get older, your teeth naturally become darker. If you drink tea, coffee, and red wine or consume other foods and drinks with strong colorings, your teeth may become discolored earlier in your life. Another major cause of discoloration is smoking, which can make your teeth appear yellow. Tooth decay, fillings and tartar build-up (a hardened form of plaque) can also contribute to discoloration.

There are various teeth whitening methods doing the round in cosmetic dentistry. There are inexpensive solutions, and expensive cosmetic options to suit every budget. Teeth whitening is one of today’s most popular cosmetic dentistry procedures. Contrary to some beliefs, with a little care and awareness it is a very safe and proven treatment.

Professional Tooth Whitening:

Exte
al bleaching

Exte
al bleaching is similar to tooth whitening kits. Your dentist will make rubber mouth trays that fit your teeth exactly, and the gel will be stronger and therefore more effective. He or she will give you tubes of bleaching gel and instructions on how to put the gel in the mouth trays. You will need to regularly wear the mouth trays for 30 minutes to one hour, over a period of two to four weeks.

Laser bleaching can also be done by your dentist. A rubber seal is placed around your teeth to protect your gums. Then the bleaching gel is put onto your teeth and a special, bright light is used to speed up the whitening process. This treatment usually takes about one hour.

Internal bleaching

Internal bleaching can only be done if you’ve had root canal treatment. This means that the blood vessels and nerves inside your tooth have been replaced with a rubber filling.

If you have internal bleaching, your dentist will drill a hole in your tooth and put the bleaching product into the hole. He or she will then use the hole that was previously made for your root treatment and will seal the hole with a temporary filling, leaving the bleach inside your tooth. You will need to go back to your dentist about a week later to have the temporary filling and bleach taken out. Then the whole will be filled with a tooth colored filling.

Home Whitening Kits:

There are numerous teeth whitening home kits that you can buy and use at home. They are either based on hydrogen peroxide or carbamide. The stronger kits normally have a stronger solution to bleach your teeth. The longer you leave the kit on, the stronger the effect. The peroxide is caustic and so over time can result in damage to the gums so you need to act with caution when using them.

Strips: Strips are inexpensive, convenient, and easy to use. However, the result of this method depends on the strength of peroxide in it.

Toothpastes: There are special teeth whitening toothpastes available which contain mild abrasives and mild chemicals which can successfully remove surface stains and additionally even polish your teeth.