Info on teeth whitening system

Why a Tooth Whitening System?

Tooth whitening systems offer a wide spectrum of alternatives, ranging from low cost whitening strips on the low end to costly but for the most part effective specialized dental whitening services. There is a plethora of tooth whitening systems to be had today. Why do teeth become yellowed? 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 way to reverse this process, and is so successful that 95% of those undergoing the approach do confirm some improvement.

Whitening Strip Method

Whitening strips are able to accomplish a nice job of whitening the exterior tooth surfaces, but achieve a poor job of bleaching the teeth divisions and cracks. A dark division between whitened teeth may appear like a bad cavity. If you do not utilize a tray-based tooth whitening system, you run the risk of dealing with irregular or spotty results. The next simplest tooth whitening approach is the whitening strip technique. 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 expensive, and easiest to employ tooth whitening technique. This explains the popularity of this technique. However, frequently the outcomes are not 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 come up with the identical tooth whitening effect as a visit to a dentist office, but with a decreased 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 not available with OTC products.

The ADA Seal of Acceptance

The ADA guideline for a whitener requires that it not be harmful to the soft tissues of the mouth or the teeth, and that a whitener can effectively whiten teeth. What a person should know in regards to the ADA seal of acceptance is that no OTC product has yet received this coveted designation. Only particular tray-based dentist-dispensed products have the ADA Seal. In all the at-home tooth whiteners which have attained the ADA Seal, the active ingredient is a 10% carbamide peroxide solution. There are varying degrees of worth 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 simple tooth whitening method is tooth whitening toothpaste (which is a mix of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda). If you just require some simple maintenance of prior tooth whitening, then this is the way to go. Yet, if the difficulty is more deep rooted, then additional tooth whitening systems ought to be looked into.

Take Home Tray Whitening

As the bleaching tray is so custom fitted, this permits the bleaching gel to stay in contact with the teeth surface. In essence, this is the most pivotal 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 on hand. With 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 totally on your own. You must thoroughly follow all the instructions. This method has been successful, but you should be careful. This system is not recommended by the ADA.

Dentist-supervised laser tooth whitening

Contrasted 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 very enhanced whitening effects. With a procedure similar to 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 lead to the tooth whitening. Most 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 broad 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 attempt to summarize the relative effectiveness, prices, and advantages of the several 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 confusing array of dentist and over the counter (OTC) products, there are actually 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 administered whitening using OTC bleaching products

You simply can’t put a bleaching agent on your teeth without a decent delivery method and expect it to work. The secret to the finest outcomes in tooth whitening is the whitening agent delivery technique. In all the tooth whitening methods, the tooth bleaching gel is kept in place by a system of delivery. This is with out a doubt needed to keep the gel in contact with the surface of the tooth. There's nothing intrinsically superior or unfavorable about any of these three basic techniques - each approach can yield decent results.

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 little whitening of your teeth, then contemplate an OTC tooth whitening system. If you particularly want a superb 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 carbamide peroxide or in addition ionic white light activated tooth whitening system.