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IS IT FOR YOU?
Tooth
Whitening Video
Now you can have whiter teeth in the ease of your own home.
How Does Tooth Whitening
Work?
Teeth come in many colors. Some
have a yellowish tone, some orange, some brown and some gray.
The outside of your teeth, the enamel, is clear. The color that
you see show through from the tooth structure under the enamel
called the dentin.
To whiten teeth a peroxide-type
chemical is applied and it goes through the enamel into the
dentin. There are different ways this chemical can be applied.
Both the character of your teeth and the whitening technique
used determines how long it will take for your teeth to whiten,
how white your teeth will get, and how long the whiter color
will last.
Individual's Teeth
It is important for you to understand
that every individual's teeth responds in a unique way to bleaching
and whitening products. Some people will see dramatic
results in a short time, others will see little results or
need lengthier treatment to achieve desired results.
This is why it is very important to seek the advice and
supervision of a dentist for your safety and favorable
results.
Over the years
you may have experienced a natural build up of stains on your teeth from coffee,
tea, colas, smoking, antibiotics, food, deposits of calculus and tartar,
certain minerals, old fillings, tooth nerve damage or trauma to teeth that have
darkened the natural whiteness of your teeth. These factors will effect the
bleaching procedure you should choice. These factors also determine when
the teeth will need a bleaching touch-up.
But
yellowing (aging) of your teeth
can be easily reversed to boost your self confidence, appearance and self
esteem.
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"Bleach
is bleach is bleach, it's effectiveness is time and dose
related"*
There is actually
no bleach involved at all in this
process. A clear flavored gel base bleaching produce made up of carbamide peroxide is applied in the
"bleach" tray that is worn over the teeth for several hours each day
or overnight.. This systems works well for moderate
staining or discoloration
Whitening
effect is entirely
dependent on peroxide concentration x time in contact with teeth
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Whitening is safe when supervised by Dr. Peterson and his staff as opposed to
over the counter treatments.
Be careful of over the counter home bleaching kit:
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They can vary
in quality of materials.
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The gel may
be of low viscosity allowing the gel to leak onto your gums
and cause irritation.
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Whitening gel may be swallowed
due to poor fitting one size fits all bleaching trays.
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Lack of dental
supervision.
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If you have an abscessed
tooth, the tooth may get traumatized through the use of an
over-the-counter product and all of a sudden, they will just
start dissolving, Tooth discoloration could be due to
decay, older fillings or leaking fillings. Your
dentist is the best advisor to tell you what methods of
whitening is best for your individualized needs and
conditions.#
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The boil-and bite" trays used by
over-the-counter products:
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Dramatically overlap soft tissue (gums) producing
more irritation. |
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They also feel bulky in your mouth which can result in
discomfort
and possible TMJ problems.
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Whitening results are
more unpredictable |
Dentist supervised whitening ensures
that you are the right candidate
for the procedure, monitor the progress of bleaching and
address problems if they arise.
Without this
guidance, people sometimes try to bleach teeth discolored from
nerve damage, trauma or cavities.
Bleaching these teeth only causes additional damage,
People with tooth sensitivity or
gum disease also creates
more problems such as... bleaching sensitive teeth causes
intense pain and discomfort.
We
suggest dentist supervised take home
bleaching kits. or In
Office Power Bleaching:
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These kits use high quality materials |
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Individualized designed trays
that are less bulky and
conforms more closely to the natural contours of your teeth making it more
comfortable and safe to produce better whitening results. |
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The
custom-fitted tray helps protect your gums from leaking
peroxide. |
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More
importantly your dentist can can perform a check-up before
you use the kit which allows problems to be identified
before they cause pain or are worsened as a result of
unsupervised bleaching. |
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Follow-up visits
allow the dentist to monitor progress and address problems
that may arise. |
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It is a safer
method that provides betters results. |
For your
safety we use only Whitening products that have the ADA Seal
of Approval.
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It would take up to a year and half longer to whiten your teeth one shade
lighter through daily use of a toothpaste whitening product as compared to using
a whitening gel.
The reasons for this is that the toothpaste is diluted by
saliva and is only in your mouth for a few minutes or less. Also whitening
toothpastes do not lighten the color of tooth structure,
they simply remove surface stains with mild abrasives or
special chemical or polishing agents.
With the whitening
kit you will be able to see results within three days of starting the whitening
process and usually takes only 4-5 applications to see one color shade change.
Remember: Whitening toothpaste can only remove stains, they do not change the color of the
teeth.
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Tooth whitening can
be done in your home around your schedule after only two visits to our office:
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At your first visit we will check your teeth and gums to be sure that you begin
the treatment in good dental health. We will than take an impression of your
teeth in order to provide you with a custom-fit soft plastic tray that is
fabricated by us. This tray is designed to hold the whitening gel next to your
teeth.
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At the second visit, this custom made mouth tray will be tried in,
adjusted and trimmed to channel the active whitening agent to your teeth and not
your gums to prevent irritation. You will be given your kit which contains the
custom mouth piece, syringe delivered whitening gel and samples of products to
help you maintain your smile along with instructions and supervision by Dr.
Peterson. You decide when and how often to bleach your teeth!
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We suggest you
return for a third visit to review your progress and determine the response of
your teeth to whitening and any side effects.
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The main ingredients in most whitening products is
hydrogen peroxide or
carbamide peroxide.
One in two people experience temporary tooth sensitivity to cold, heat, or pressure
as a result of home whitening treatment. Individuals with
receding gums appear most likely to experience tooth
sensitivity. This sensitivity is short lived
and tends to decrease as whitening treatment progresses and usually ends a day or two after the
treatment is completed. Remember that home use whitening systems are safe
and effective and result in only mild, temporary changes in gum
and dental pulp tissues.^
If you have persistent discomfort please
contact Dr. Peterson. If this uncommon case of sensitivity develops he can adjust your
treatment regimen to help you attain the best results while ensuring your
safety.
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We do not recommend bleaching for smokers
or alcohol users. Smokers should stop smoking before
having their teeth bleached. The smoking not only defeats the effect of
whitening but there is concern about the mixture of hydrogen peroxide with
smoking having a potentiating effect on tissue damage already known to be caused
by smoking.
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If you have pre-existing cosmetic restoration (bonding, porcelain
crowns or veneers) you may need to replace them after the whitening treatment in
order to match your new, whiter smile.
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Stains in the gray family (such as from
tetracycline) can be harder to remove, if not impossible. These stains can take
up to six months or longer to whiten.
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The best candidates for whitening are
those with stains caused by coffee, tobacco or aging.
| Contraindications/limitations
of home bleaching: |
Comments |
| Extensive composite
(white) & porcelain restorations |
Restorations will NOT
bleach and you need to be informed about the cost of
replacement |
| Pre-existing sensitivity |
2/3 of these people will experience
some sensitivity for 1-4 days; usually reversible upon
termination of bleaching |
| Severe gray/blue banded tetracycline
staining |
Guarded prognosis, may
reduce amount of
"masking: required for future |
| Discoloration in gingival
third or exposed yellow |
Guarded prognosis for
whitening |
| Pregnant or lactating |
No know adverse effects but
avoid use as a precautionary measure |
| TMJ |
Consider bleaching one arch
and monitor comfort |
| Translucent teeth |
May appear darker after
bleaching |
| Amalgam
restoration in front teeth |
Replace amalgams to avoid
"greening effect" |
| Noncompliance or unrealistic
expectation |
Determine realistic
whitening results**** |
***An Update on
Tooth Whitening, Woman Dentist Journal, pg 10-22, Jan/Feb 2003
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If restorations are planned for the anterior (front) part of your mouth it is
advisable to accomplish the whitening first, then match the new restorations to
the now whitened teeth. You will need to plan to wait three weeks after
bleaching before starting these restorative procedures.
We cannot predict
the effectiveness of the whitening agent, so it is recommended that whitening be
tried first to see what degree of shade change is obtainable because each
person’s reaction to whitening is so individual.
The results for people who don’t smoke, drink coffee/ tea/red wine and have
good dental health habits see little to no change in their whitening effect for
up to five years after treatment.
You can easily "touch-up" the
results at home within a few days once or twice a year. And don’t forget to
keep your regular dental visits twice a year.
For permanent change, you should consider the placement of
Veneers.
One study concluded that both
surface roughness and adhesion of S. mutans to the enamel
surface increase after bleaching.
Journal of Dentistry Volume 31, Issue 8 , N. Hosoya, , K.
Honda, F. Iino and T. AraiNovember 2003, Pages 543-548
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Is Teeth Whitening
Addictive?
 WebMD.com
raises the question of “whitening addiction,”
citing those who have a narcissistic compulsion
to maintain their youth by overuse of tooth
whitening products, both OTC and professional.
Signs of whitening abuse include people who seek
to get their teeth to a "Clorox white” shade
until their teeth are almost transparent, yet do
not seem to realize their teeth are already
white. It is unlikely that damage to the surface
of the tooth will be caused before the
sensitivity occurs. He cautions against
bleaching for people under age 18 as there is
greater opportunity for hypersensitivity.
Dentists need to partner with patients to set
realistic expectations and avoid overuse of
whitening products. |
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For instructions on how to
whiten your teeth: How To Whiten Up
To Top
September 28, 2008
Resource: Whitening Systems, Stacie Crozier,
ADA News April 16, 2001, pg 11.
* Whiteners put shine on dental care, Stacie Crozier, ADA News
April 16, 2001 pg 8-10 stated by Dr. Heymann.
^Incidence of Tooth Sensitivity After Home Whitening
Treatment; Dr. Jorgensen, Dr. Carroll; JADA, Vol 133; pgs
1076-1082; Aug 2002.
Dentistry Today pg 34-36, September 2002
#Nightguard Vital Bleaching; Dr. Haywood; Dental Products
Report pg 82-86,96; Oct 2002.
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