Info on teeth whitening

Why a Tooth Whitening System?

Tooth whitening systems provide a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from economical whitening strips on the low end to expensive but typically effective skilled dental whitening services. There is a good amount of of tooth whitening systems accessible currently. Why do teeth darken? This is because individuals consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, become 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 those going through the process do show some improvement.

Whitening Strip Method

Whitening strips are able to 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 could look like a bad cavity. If you don't employ a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the risk of experiencing irregular or spotty consequences. The next simplest tooth whitening technique is the whitening strip procedure. 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 procedure. This explains the popularity of this approach. However, frequently the 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 come up with the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, yet with a lowered concentration of the peroxide (5% - 10%), and over a longer time period. This is partially true, but omits the reality that dentists utilize a laser tooth whitening system as well as bleach, something unavailable with OTC products.

Three Primary Approaches to Tooth Whitening

In the face of the confusing array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are basically simply 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 highest quality 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 fundamental to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth. There's nothing intrinsically good or bad regarding any of these three basic approaches - each system can yield fine results. You simply can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a good delivery system and expect it to work.

Take Home Tray Whitening

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 consequently worn for one to two hours at home at a convenient time by the tooth whitening patient. As 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 maybe the most cost effective method of tooth whitening presently 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 totally on your own. You must carefully follow all the instructions. This approach has been successful, but you should be careful. This system 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 causes chemical reactions that cause the tooth whitening. A good number of people do a Zoom® tooth whitening once every six months. Contrasted 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 procedure, the exactly 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 provide the reader a thorough understanding of the differing strengths of peroxides utilized 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 ensuing table, we try to summarize the relative effectiveness, prices, and advantages of the various 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

Only a small amount of tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners which have acquired the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution. 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 ought to know about the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has as of yet received this coveted designation. There are varying levels of quality to all these whitening systems. This is an area that the U.S. FDA does not become involved. Nevertheless, the American Dental Association (ADA) does set guidelines for tooth whitening products.

Tooth Whitening Toothpaste

The most basic tooth whitening approach is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you merely require some uncomplicated maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the way to go. However, if the difficulty is more deep rooted, then other tooth whitening systems might be looked into.

Conclusion

Whatever tooth whitening system you prefer, always seek the advice of your dentist and follow carefully all instructions. Take a look at your condition. If you are looking for a small amount of whitening of your teeth, then consider an OTC tooth whitening system. If you really seek an excellent bright white smile, at that time your sole option is a cosmetic dentist.

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