Why a Tooth Whitening System?
Why do teeth become yellowed? This is due to the fact that individuals consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, become exposed to antibiotics, and just plain age. Teeth whitening is an effective way to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of those experiencing the approach do show some improvement. There is a plethora of tooth whitening systems to be had currently. Tooth whitening systems provide a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from inexpensive whitening strips on the low end to costly but generally effective specialized dental whitening services.
The ADA Seal of Acceptance
Only particular tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners which have attained the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution. The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not become bad to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What we should know regarding the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has as of yet attained this coveted designation. There are varying levels of worth to all these whitening systems. This is an area that the U.S. FDA doesn't get involved. Nevertheless, the American Dental Association (ADA) does set rules for tooth whitening products.
Tooth Whitening Toothpaste
The most simple tooth whitening technique is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you just require some uncomplicated maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the way to go. Yet, if the situation is more deep rooted, then additional tooth whitening systems might be looked into.
Take Home Tray Whitening
Because the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this allows the bleaching gel to stay in contact with the teeth surface. Actually, this is the most essential aspect of the bleaching process and is the rationale why tray based bleaching systems have been so successful. This is probably the most cost effective method of tooth whitening now on hand. With a take home tooth whitening tray system, 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.
An OTC kit is similar to the take home whitening tray fitted at the dentist’s office, but in this case, you are utterly on your own. You must closely follow all the instructions. This method has been successful, but you should be careful. This technique is not recommended by the ADA.
Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening
With a procedure such as Zoom® tooth whitening, a special bright laser light is shone on the teeth whitening gel for an hour. Laser light energy creates energy which initiates chemical reactions that trigger the tooth whitening. The majority of people do a Zoom® tooth whitening once every six months. Contrasted to OTC products, dentists for the most part use a higher concentration of bleaching compound with a laser tooth whitening system like Britesmile® or Zoom® tooth whitening. With a laser whitening system, the precisely defined light frequency combined with a proprietary bleaching chemical produces remarkably amplified whitening effects.
A comparison of peroxide concentrations in tooth whitening
The following table will give the reader a thorough understanding of the differing strengths of peroxides used in the several 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 attempt to summarize the relative effectiveness, expense, 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 system. This explains the popularity of this technique. Yet, often the results aren't as superb as those results seen with the tray-based methods or in-office laser tooth whitening systems. Whitening strips might do a nice 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 might appear similar to a bad cavity. If you do not utilize a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the chance of possessing irregular or spotty results.
OTC tooth whitening products ought to in principle provide the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, but with a lowered concentration of the peroxide (5% - 10%), and over a longer period of time. This is partially true, but omits the fact that dentists employ a laser tooth whitening system as well as bleach, something unavailable with OTC products.
Three Primary Approaches to Tooth Whitening
Notwithstanding the bewildering array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are essentially just three (3) approaches to whitening one’s teeth:
- Dental in-office bleaching
- Self-applied night-time bleaching using a tailored tray or a polyethylene strip
- Individual administered whitening using OTC bleaching products
You clearly can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a decent delivery method and presume it to work. There's nothing intrinsically superb or bad regarding any of these three basic approaches - each procedure should yield top notch outcomes. The key to the finest outcomes in tooth whitening is the whitening agent delivery method. In all the tooth whitening methods, the tooth bleaching gel is kept in place by a method of delivery. This is with out a doubt 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. Analyze your condition. Only if you are looking for a bit of whitening of your teeth, then contemplate an OTC tooth whitening system. Provided that you really want a fantastic bright white smile, then your only choice is a cosmetic dentist.
If you have a further interest in tooth whitening methods, you may also want to look into
tooth whitening gel or in addition
teeth whitening treatment.
