Treatments - Tooth Whitening

Tooth whitening is a procedure that lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration.

The most common reasons for teeth to get yellow or stained are aging, tobacco, tea and coffee. Plaque is a thin coating that forms on the enamel everyday and this picks up stains of tea, coffee, tobacco, coloured foods, etc. Tooth enamel also contains pores that can hold stains. Whitening agent bleaches the teeth in a very safe manner without any much side effects (it may cause temporary sensitivity in some people). New technologies have resulted in one-hour tooth whitening which can change the colour of the teeth up to 8 shades. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can significantly improve how your teeth look.

             
            Before                                        After

Bleaching can be done at home or in the clinic by the dentist. At-home whitening involves purchasing a thin mouthguard or strip that holds a relatively low concentration of bleaching agent next to the teeth for as long as several hours a day for a period of 5 to 14 days. This is known as take-home or over-the-counter bleaching. Dentists can fabricate custom fitted whitening trays that conform well to the shape of the teeth and will greatly improve the results you can achieve with an "at home" whitening method. Results can vary, depending on which application is chosen, with some people achieving whiter teeth in a few days, and others seeing very little results or no results at all.

Dental office whitening involves applying a high concentration of bleaching agent on the visible tooth surfaces for a short period of time, which produces quick results. In order to reduce the risk of chemical burns to the gums, most in-office bleaching procedures use a light-cured protective layer that is carefully painted on the gums and papilla (the tips of the gums between the teeth). The bleaching agent is either carbamide peroxide, which breaks down in the mouth to form hydrogen peroxide, or hydrogen peroxide itself. Light (blue) and lasers are sometimes used to accelerate the process of bleaching.

Bleaching can produce dramatic improvements in the cosmetic appearance of most stained teeth. The effects of bleaching can last for several months, but may be shortened by cigarette smoking, tea and coffee consumption and food items with high staining capacity.

Bleaching is least effective if teeth have white spots, tetracycline stains, decay or infected gums. It is also least effective when the original tooth color is grayish. Bleaching is most effective with yellow discolored teeth.

It may need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain the brighter color. Also, any existing visible restorations may need to be replaced as there is no effect of whitening agents on fillings and crowns.

The two side effects that occur most often are a temporary increase in tooth sensitivity and mild irritation of the soft tissues of the mouth, particularly the gums. Tooth sensitivity often occurs during early stages of the bleaching treatment. Both of these conditions usually are temporary and disappear within 1 to 3 days of stopping or completing treatment.

Bleaching is not recommended in children under the age of 16 and in pregnant or lactating women.