Info on whiten teeth

Why a Tooth Whitening System?

Why do teeth become yellowed? This is because individuals consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, get exposed to antibiotics, and just plain get older. Teeth whitening is an effective course to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of persons going through the process do demonstrate some improvement. There is a large amount of of tooth whitening systems obtainable currently. Tooth whitening systems offer a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from inexpensive whitening strips on the low end to pricey but for the most part effective skilled dental whitening services.

Take Home Tray Whitening

Due to the fact that the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this permits the bleaching gel to stay in contact with the teeth surface. Truly, this is the most vital aspect of the bleaching process and is the rationale why tray based bleaching systems have been so successful. This is perhaps the most cost effective method of tooth whitening currently available. 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. Later, 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 consequently 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 completely on your own. You must carefully follow all the instructions. This approach has been successful, but you should be cautious. This approach is not recommended by the ADA.

Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening

Judged against to OTC products, dentists mostly 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 exactly defined light frequency combined with a proprietary bleaching chemical produces particularly 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 cause the tooth whitening. A good number 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 thorough understanding of the differing strengths of peroxides used 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 ensuing table, we try to summarize the relative effectiveness, expense, and advantages of the different 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

The ADA Seal of Acceptance

There are varying levels of value to all these whitening systems. This is an area that the U.S. FDA doesn't become involved. At any rate, the American Dental Association (ADA) does set rules for tooth whitening products. Only certain 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. The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not be adverse to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What one ought to know in regards to the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has yet received this coveted designation.

Tooth Whitening Toothpaste

The most basic tooth whitening system is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you simply need some uncomplicated maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the direction to go. Yet, if the problem is more deep rooted, then additional tooth whitening systems should be looked into.

Whitening Strip Method

Whitening strips are able to do a good 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 similar to a bad cavity. If you don't employ a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the risk of having irregular or spotty results. The next simplest tooth whitening method is the whitening strip approach. You place tooth bleaching tape on your front teeth. This tape is flexible, and contains the gel which 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, frequently the possible results are not as good as those outcomes seen with the tray-based methods or in-office laser tooth whitening systems.

OTC tooth whitening products could in principle provide the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, yet with a lower 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.

Three Primary Approaches to Tooth Whitening

Notwithstanding the bewildering array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are in point of fact simply 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 directed whitening using OTC bleaching products

You clearly can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a viable delivery procedure and presume it to work. There's not anything intrinsically superior or deficient about any of these three basic techniques - each procedure should yield nice results. The secret to the best 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 system of delivery. This is unquestionably central 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 closely all instructions. Take a look at your situation. Providing you are looking for a bit of whitening of your teeth, then think about an OTC tooth whitening system. If you truly seek a wonderful 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 white tooth or in addition mouth wash.