Why a Tooth Whitening System?
Why do teeth darken? This is due to the fact that individuals consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, get exposed to antibiotics, and just plain age. Teeth whitening is an effective course to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of those experiencing the procedure do verify some improvement. There is a large amount of of tooth whitening systems accessible currently. Tooth whitening systems offer a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from economical whitening strips on the low end to pricey but generally effective skilled dental whitening services.
Take Home Tray Whitening
Through a take home tooth whitening tray technique, which the patient can perform at home, the dentist makes an impression for a model of the patient’s teeth. Then, a perfect fitting bleach tray is fitted from this impression. Finally, a bleaching gel is prescribed by the dentist. At home, the bleaching gel is placed in the bleaching tray by the patient and the tray is subsequently worn for one to two hours at home at a convenient time by the tooth whitening patient. Because the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this permits the bleaching gel to keep in contact with the teeth surface. In essence, this is the most essential aspect of the bleaching process and is the explanation why tray based bleaching systems have been so successful. This is maybe the most cost effective method of tooth whitening currently out there.
An OTC kit is similar to the take home whitening tray fitted at the dentist’s office, but in this case, you are completely on your own. You must carefully follow all the instructions. This procedure has been successful, but you must be careful. This approach is not recommended by the ADA.
Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening
Judged against to OTC products, dentists generally use a higher concentration of bleaching compound with a laser tooth whitening system like Britesmile® or Zoom® tooth whitening. With a laser whitening technique, the precisely defined light frequency combined with a proprietary bleaching chemical produces remarkably enhanced whitening effects. With a procedure like Zoom® tooth whitening, a special bright laser light is shone on the teeth whitening gel for an hour. Laser light energy creates energy which leads to chemical reactions that trigger the tooth whitening. The majority of people do a Zoom® tooth whitening once every six months.
A comparison of peroxide concentrations in tooth whitening
The following table will provide the reader a broad understanding of the varying strengths of peroxides utilized in the different whitening systems.
| Application |
Agent |
Professional/OTC |
Concentration |
| In Office "power bleaching" |
hydrogen peroxide
carbamide peroxide |
dentist
dentist |
15%-38%
35% |
| Night-time tray bleaching |
carbamide peroxide
hydrogen peroxide |
dentist
dentist |
10%-22%
6-9.5% |
| whitening strips |
hydrogen peroxide
hydrogen peroxide |
OTC
dentist |
5.3%-10%
6.5%-14%
|
| paint on gels |
carbamide peroxide
hydrogen peroxide |
OTC
OTC
|
18%
19% |
A comparison of all the tooth whitening systems
In the following table, we try to summarize the relative effectiveness, costs, and advantages of the several tooth whitening systems.
| Method |
Effectiveness |
Length of results |
Treatment Duration |
Side Effects |
Tooth Type |
Cost |
| Whitening strips |
Whitens teeth slightly, might leave "lines" |
1 year |
7-14 days |
Minimally sensitive teeth/gums |
Slightly yellow teeth |
$15 |
| Brush on whitening gels |
Somewhat better than regular toothpaste |
Several weeks |
7-14 days |
Bad breath |
Slightly yellow teeth |
$3-$5 |
| OTC gels |
Improves with higher peroxide levels |
1 year |
1-3 weeks |
Sensitive teeth/gums |
Moderately yellow to dark teeth |
$10 |
| Bleaching done in dentist's office |
Great for yellow teeth |
3 yrs |
1-2 mos. |
Sensitive teeth/gums |
Extremely dark teeth, which require professional evaluation |
$300-$1000 |
| Dentist supervised gel application |
Great for yellow teeth |
3 years |
3-6 wks |
Sensitive teeth/gums |
Dark teeth, which needs a dentist-supervised evaluation |
$300-$500 |
| Crowns |
Very effective for one tooth |
10-15 years |
1 month |
feeling of tightness |
Single tooth is decayed or broken |
$600-$3000 |
| Veneers |
Very effective for just one tooth |
10-15 years |
3-4 weeks |
feeling of tightness |
Single tooth needs straightening |
$500-$1200 |
| Bonding |
Very effective for just one tooth |
5-10 years |
1-2 weeks |
Rare allergies |
Single tooth needs minor reshaping |
$300-$700 |
Whitening Strip Method
The next simplest tooth whitening technique is the whitening strip approach. You place tooth bleaching tape on your front teeth. This tape is flexible, and contains the gel that bleaches the teeth. This is the most comfortable, least costly, and easiest to employ tooth whitening technique. This explains the popularity of this approach. However, frequently the possible results aren't as nice as those results seen with the tray-based methods or in-office laser tooth whitening systems. Whitening strips can do a fine job of whitening the exterior tooth surfaces, but do a poor job of bleaching the teeth divisions and cracks. A dark division between whitened teeth may look like a bad cavity. If you don't utilize a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the possibility of having irregular or spotty results.
OTC tooth whitening products could in principle provide the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, however with a decreased concentration of the peroxide (5% - 10%), and over a longer time period. This is partially true, but omits the fact that dentists utilize a laser tooth whitening system as well as bleach, something unavailable with OTC products.
The ADA Seal of Acceptance
The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not turn out to be adverse to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What we ought to know about the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has as of yet attained this coveted designation. Only particular tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners that have obtained the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution. There are differing levels of worth to all these whitening systems. This is an area that the U.S. FDA does not become involved. Nonetheless, the American Dental Association (ADA) does set guidelines for tooth whitening products.
Tooth Whitening Toothpaste
The most uncomplicated tooth whitening approach is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you just desire some uncomplicated maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the way to go. But, if the difficulty is more deep rooted, then more tooth whitening systems might be looked into.
Three Main Approaches to Tooth Whitening
In the face of the bewildering array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are in point of fact only three (3) approaches to whitening one’s teeth:
- Dental in-office bleaching
- Self-applied night-time bleaching using a custom-fitted tray or a polyethylene strip
- Individual administered whitening using OTC bleaching products
You simply can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a fine delivery method and presume it to work. There is nothing intrinsically superb or unfavorable about any of these three basic techniques - each system should yield decent outcomes. The key to the most ideal outcomes in tooth whitening is the whitening agent delivery system. In all the tooth whitening methods, the tooth bleaching gel is kept in place by a method of delivery. This is definitely needed to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth.
Conclusion
Whatever tooth whitening system you prefer, always seek the advice of your dentist and follow in detail all instructions. Take a look at your circumstances. If you are looking for a bit of whitening of your teeth, then contemplate an OTC tooth whitening system. Provided that you particularly want an excellent bright white smile, at that time your sole choice is a cosmetic dentist.
If you have a further interest in tooth whitening methods, you may also want to look into
tooth whitening strips or in addition
teeth whiting gel.
