Services
Teeth Whitening
Tooth Whitening or otherwise known as bleaching is a process lightening the colour of teeth that have not responded well to professional cleaning. The general process involves the application of a bleaching agent onto the tooth surface. Most bleaching agents are comprised of a Hydrogen Peroxide formula. Depending on the system chosen by your dentist, the strengths of the bleaching agents can vary.
At Healthy Smile Dental, there are currently 2 general options available when looking at whitening teeth.
Firstly, there is the "Take Home Kit" option, which is done by getting a set of custom made trays made and taking home tubes of bleaching agent. At home, the patient then needs to apply the bleaching agent into the tray and wear the trays for a specified amount of time. At HSD, we use a system called Designer White Advance which has proven to be very effective for our patients. The process generally calls for a one hour application of the tray for 7-10 days. One major drawback of this method is that patients need to be responsible for wearing the trays consistently throughout the treatment period.
The second option is the "In-Chair" bleaching. This process involves the patient having the whitening done in the dental surgery. Generally going for 2 hours, In-Chair bleaching involves the dentist applying the bleaching agent to the teeth and allowing the a cool blue light to activate the bleaching agent. This generally results in a rapid whitening process. Furthermore, as this process does not rely on the patient having to be consistent with wearing a tray every day, it often leads to better results.
At Healthy Smile, we use 2 "In-Chair" bleaching systems. They are:
Both systems work effectively, but with slight differences.
Some general advantages of whitening/bleaching:
• Bleaching is ideal for undamaged teeth that need lightening in colour. (As opposed to crowns, veneers or facings).
• Custom made trays can be used again at a later stage.
• Upper and lower teeth can be treated at the same time from one procedure.
• Approved tooth whitening products are safe to use
Some disadvantages of whitening/bleaching:
• Not all teeth respond well to bleaching. For example, yellow, brown and orange stained teeth usually respond well to bleaching. However, grey stains may lighten a little, but results may not be as good.
• Not all teeth bleach evenly.
• White composite restorations do not get affected by the bleaching process and may need to be replaced after the process in order to achieve a nice aesthetic result.
• If the bleaching agent has a prolonged contact with the gums it can lead to irritation and burning.
• Bleaching should be done in a controlled setting. Some store bought whitening systems can be very strong and can damage teeth over a long term period. We do not recommend such treatments.
• Bleaching may not be suitable for people with; pre-existing sensitivity, cracked teeth, worn teeth, receding gums or periodontal disease.
In general, it is important to see a dentist before commencing any form of teeth whitening. There may be specific considerations that need to be taken in regards to your teeth. If you have ever wanted to whiten or even thought about whitening, it would be best to give us a call and organise a consultation.
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