Info on whitening

Why a Tooth Whitening System?

Why do teeth darken? This is due to the fact that people consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, get exposed to antibiotics, and just plain age. Teeth whitening is an effective path to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of those going through the process do demonstrate some improvement. Tooth whitening systems offer a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from low cost whitening strips on the low end to pricey but usually effective professional dental whitening services. There is a great deal of tooth whitening systems accessible currently.

Take Home Tray Whitening

Due to the fact that the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this allows the bleaching gel to stay in contact with the teeth surface. Truly, this is the most significant 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 out there. Through a take home tooth whitening tray method, which the patient can perform at home, the dentist makes an impression for a model of the patient’s teeth. Subsequently, a perfect fitting bleach tray is fitted from this impression. Lastly, 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 closely follow all the instructions. This technique has been successful, but you must be cautious. This method is not recommended by the ADA.

Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening

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. The majority of people do a Zoom® tooth whitening once every six months. Judged against 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 process, 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 broad understanding of the varying strengths of peroxides used in the various 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 make an attempt to summarize the relative effectiveness, expense, and benefits 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

Three Main Approaches to Tooth Whitening

Notwithstanding the perplexing array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are basically only 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

There's nothing intrinsically superb or bad regarding any of these three basic approaches - each method could yield superb outcomes. You simply can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a fine delivery procedure and expect it to work. 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 system of delivery. This is absolutely central to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth.

The ADA Seal of Acceptance

The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not turn out to be bad 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 attained this coveted designation. Only particular tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners which have obtained the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution. There are differing degrees of quality 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 simple tooth whitening method is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you merely need some uncomplicated maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the way to go. Yet, if the situation is more deep rooted, then more tooth whitening systems ought to be looked into.

Whitening Strip Method

Whitening strips might accomplish 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 might appear like a bad cavity. If you do not use a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the chance of dealing with irregular or spotty results. The next simplest tooth whitening approach is the whitening strip method. 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 pricey, and easiest to utilize tooth whitening procedure. This explains the popularity of this approach. But then, frequently the outcomes aren't as nice as those outcomes seen with the tray-based methods or in-office laser tooth whitening systems.

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 reality that dentists use a laser tooth whitening system as well as bleach, something unavailable with OTC products.

Conclusion

Whatever tooth whitening system you prefer, always seek the advice of your dentist and follow in detail all instructions. Evaluate your circumstances. Providing you are looking for a small amount of whitening of your teeth, then contemplate an OTC tooth whitening system. If you really wish a superb bright white smile, at that time your only choice is a cosmetic dentist.

If you have a further interest in tooth whitening methods, you may also want to look into teeth whitening refills or in addition teeth bleeching.