Info on best teeth whitening

Why a Tooth Whitening System?

Why do teeth become yellowed? This is because people consume caffeine-containing drinks, smoke, become exposed to antibiotics, and just plain get older. Teeth whitening is an effective way to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of persons experiencing the approach do verify some improvement. There is a good 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 costly but generally effective skilled dental whitening services.

Three Main Approaches to Tooth Whitening

In the face of the confusing array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are actually 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 administered whitening using OTC bleaching products

The key to the most ideal 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 procedure of delivery. This is with out a doubt necessary to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth. There's nothing intrinsically superb or unfavorable about any of these three basic techniques - each method should yield nice results. You clearly can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a fine delivery procedure and expect it to work.

Take Home Tray Whitening

As the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this permits the bleaching gel to remain in contact with the teeth surface. In fact, this is the most pivotal aspect of the bleaching process and is the explanation why tray based bleaching systems have been so successful. This is probably the most cost effective method of tooth whitening presently 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. Later, 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 totally on your own. You must thoroughly follow all the instructions. This approach has been successful, but you should be cautious. This system is not recommended by the ADA.

Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening

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 very enhanced whitening effects. 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 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 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 effort to summarize the relative effectiveness, costs, and benefits 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 differing levels of value to all these whitening systems. This is an area that the U.S. FDA doesn't become involved. Nonetheless, the American Dental Association (ADA) does set guidelines for tooth whitening products. The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not be bad to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What a person should know about the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has yet attained this coveted designation. Only certain tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners that have earned the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution.

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 want some simple 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 ought to 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 might seem like a bad cavity. If you don't use a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the possibility of experiencing irregular or spotty results. The next simplest tooth whitening technique is the whitening strip system. 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 method. This explains the popularity of this approach. Yet, often the outcomes are not as excellent as those outcomes seen with the tray-based methods or in-office laser tooth whitening systems.

OTC tooth whitening products ought to in principle come up with the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, however 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 employ 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 carefully all instructions. Review your condition. Providing you are looking for a bit of whitening of your teeth, then contemplate an OTC tooth whitening system. If you really wish an excellent 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 natural teeth whiteners or in addition whitelight tooth whitening.