Bleaching (Whitening)

What is Tooth Bleaching?
Tooth bleaching is a process of lightening the color of teeth. It's used to erase stains that come from coffee, tea, red wine, cigarette smoke and chewing tobacco. And it will lighten teeth that have darkened because of age or are naturally yellow or dark. The effects generally last for five years depending on personal habits. The process is simple, effective and produces few side effects.

The Procedures

POWER BLEACHING or "chairside bleaching," is done in the dental office and produces the best results. It's also the quickest and most convenient procedure. The entire process can take as little as forty-five minutes. Plus, the desired results are often achieved after just one appointment, although multiple appointments might be necessary depending on the severity of the problem. You can expect the effects of power bleaching to last 1-3 years, on average, but longer if you don’t smoke, chew tobacco, drink coffee, tea or red wine or use other staining products. During the procedure, the dentist isolates and protects your lips, gums and the inside of your mouth. A whitening gel is then applied to your teeth. Finally, a powerful light source is used to activate the bleaching agent. This causes oxygen from the gel to enter the tooth enamel and bleach the colored substances. The color of your teeth is made lighter. Touch-ups can be done in minimal time with little additional expense.

HOME BLEACHING or "nightguard bleaching," is accomplished at home under a dentist's supervision. It produces very good results that last approximately 1-3 years, on average, but longer if you don’t smoke, chew tobacco, drink coffee, tea or red wine or use other staining products. The procedure takes from 2-3 weeks before optimum results are achieved. And it includes 2-5 dental visits so that the dentist can check for any problems or sensitivity to your teeth and gums and make sure the whitening process is proceeding safely. In this procedure, you're fitted with a custom-made mouth tray, not unlike a mouthguard. A whitening gel, dispensed under the dentist's supervision, is poured into the tray. You then place the mouth tray around your teeth, wearing it for 1-2 hours each day or all-night, while you sleep. Whether you wear the mouth tray during the day or at night may depend on your sensitivity to the procedure. When water contacts the solution, the peroxide is activated and oxygen enters the enamel and dentin and bleaches the colored substances. Tooth color is made brighter. Plus, you keep the mouth trays. For touch-ups, or to repeat the process, you need only purchase additional whitening gel from the dentist.

Are You a Candidate for Bleaching?
Bleaching has been proven successful for at least 90 percent of all patients who have tried it, although it may not be an option for everyone.

Patients with crowns or fillings should be advised that the porcelain and white composite restorations will not lighten as the rest of the tooth. If you decide to pursue the whitening procedure and you have crowns or fillings, you may want to replace your existing restorations as well. If you have very sensitive teeth, periodontal disease, or enamel worn from teeth, your dentist may discourage bleaching. And in some cases another cosmetic procedure, such as porcelain veneers or dental bonding, might prove to be a more effective option for improving your smile.

You should consider tooth bleaching if your teeth are darkened from age, coffee, tea, red wine, smoking or chewing tobacco.

Teeth darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange generally respond best to lightening. Other types of gray stains caused by fluorosis, smoking or drug therapy (like tetracycline) will be lightened by bleaching, but overall, the results won't be as dramatic. Stains caused by trauma to the tooth, illness (such as severe jaundice), or heredity also may not respond well to bleaching.

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