Why a Tooth Whitening System?
Why do teeth become yellowed? This is because individuals consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, become exposed to antibiotics, and just plain age. Teeth whitening is an effective technique to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of persons going through the procedure do demonstrate some improvement. There is a great deal of tooth whitening systems accessible today. Tooth whitening systems offer a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from inexpensive whitening strips on the low end to costly but generally effective skilled dental whitening services.
Whitening Strip Method
Whitening strips can accomplish 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 might appear like a bad cavity. If you don't utilize a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the possibility of possessing 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 pricey, and easiest to use tooth whitening system. This explains the popularity of this approach. Yet, often 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 can in principle provide the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, however with a lower concentration of the peroxide (5% - 10%), and over a longer period of time. This is partially true, but omits the reality that dentists utilize a laser tooth whitening system as well as bleach, something not available with OTC products.
Take Home Tray Whitening
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 important aspect of the bleaching process and is the rationale why tray based bleaching systems have been so successful. This is possibly the most cost effective method of tooth whitening now out there. 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 then 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 totally on your own. You must closely follow all the instructions. This approach has been successful, but you must be careful. This system 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 causes chemical reactions that trigger the tooth whitening. A good number of people do a Zoom® tooth whitening once every six months. Judged against to OTC products, dentists usually 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.
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 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 make an attempt to summarize the relative effectiveness, costs, and advantages of the diverse 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 guidelines for tooth whitening products. The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not turn out to be harmful to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What we must know regarding the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has as of yet attained this coveted designation. Only a small amount of 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.
Tooth Whitening Toothpaste
The most basic tooth whitening technique is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you simply require some uncomplicated maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the direction to go. But, if the difficulty is more deep rooted, then further tooth whitening systems ought to 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 practically 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 directed whitening using OTC bleaching products
The secret to the finest 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 unquestionably needed to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth. There is nothing intrinsically superb or unfavorable regarding any of these three basic techniques - each method could yield decent outcomes. You just can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a good delivery technique and presume it to work.
Conclusion
Whatever tooth whitening system you prefer, always seek the advice of your dentist and follow in detail all instructions. Analyze your circumstances. If you are looking for a bit of whitening of your teeth, then think about an OTC tooth whitening system. Provided that you particularly desire a wonderful bright white smile, at that time your only option is a cosmetic dentist.
If you have a further interest in tooth whitening methods, you may also want to look into
whitelight tooth whitening or in addition
tooth whitening systems.
