Teeth Whitening Procedure: Effects and Costs
In-Office
Teeth Whitening
At-Home
Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening is, probably, the most common procedure from those, which relate to the cosmetic dentistry. It is popular among both men and women and is designed in such a way, that it can fit every budget, amount time and personality.
There are several methods of teeth-whitening nowadays. You can bleach your teeth at home by using home-kits, or you can visit your dentist and spend several sessions at clinic while the work is done for you. Only fifteen percent of the population have used the second method, but the news about the results are widespread.
In brief, they all claim that teeth’s whitening really works. Everyone,
who’ve tried it noticed moderate to complete changes in the brightness
and coloring of their teeth. But teeth-whitening is, unfortunately,
not a permanent procedure; it requires maintenance and renewal once
in a time.
Bleaching and Whitening: Feel the Difference
The term “bleaching” usually means, that after the procedure your teeth will become brighter and whiter than they naturally are. During the process, hydrogen peroxide is used – that’s the product, which contains bleach.
“Whitening” refers to the restoration of teeth color; it removes chips
and dirt. There are even whitening teeth pastes – you’ve probably used
them or, at least, have seen them. Whitening is more much softer on
your teeth, than bleaching; that’s why this term is more widespread.
Your Enamel Condition
Most of us have good-looking teeth since childhood. The secret is tooth
enamel, the material, designed specially to protect our teeth during
the process of chewing and biting, and also in the cases of trauma or
acid attacks. But as the years pass by, our enamel wears out and becomes
less strong and more transparent. The yellow color, we have on our teeth,
is not necessarily the impact of food or tobacco; dentin, the inner
part of the tooth, is of the yellow color.
When the enamel becomes thinner, dentin is influenced by the food we
chew, and microscopic debris and cracks appear. This makes our teeth
become dull and dark.
Teeth’s whitening helps you to remove the spots, stains and the microscopic
particles, leaving the cracks opened. Some of these cracks are later
on filled up with the natural organic material; some have to be cured
with the help of the dentist.
Two Types of Tooth Stains
There are, basically, two reasons, that make your teeth stained. They might be called extrinsic intrinsic staining.
Extrinsic staining is the acquired problem. They appear on the tooth surface and are caused by food and tobacco influence, beverages and simple aging of your enamel. The minor stains can be removed with the help of ordinary toothbrush, but the major spots require more efforts. Bleaching is one of the methods. If the extrinsic stains are remained untouched, they integrate into the dentin.
Intrinsic stains, on the contrary, are the ones, that appear on the
interior part of the tooth. They might be a result of trauma, aging,
mineral misbalance. During the last years, cosmetic dentistry made a
serious step to improve these spots as well. Today even the deep-set
stains can be removed, leaving perfectly clear teeth. Of course, it
takes weeks of maintenance, but isn’t it worth it?
The Reasons of Teeth Staining.
1. Inborn Teeth Color.
Our natural teeth color is not something, we require through the ages; it is in our genes. It varies from yellow and brownish to the green and grayish; the first group is easier to be bleached, than the second one.
2. Aging.
Our age always influences the color of our teeth. Hardly does it improve throughout the time; it will be more proper to say our teeth become duller and duller. Out teeth tend to get darker and acquire spots. Depending of your age, the level of teeth-whitening complexity is defined. If in early twenties you might need minor changes, in your forties you will have to spend a lot more effort. By the fifties the level of the process difficulty reaches its limits; but nowadays there is nothing impossible for the cosmetic dentistry.
3. Thinness or thickness.
Transparency and thinness of your teeth is something that you have from the very beginning, too. Thick and solid teeth have more advantages, then those showing translucency. The thicker teeth are better in color and structure; they tend to be healthier and brighter. The front teeth are the most exposed to the thinning impact, and they have less pigment, that is necessary for the bleaching procedure. Transparency, so far, is the only condition, that can’t be improved during the teeth bleaching procedure.
4. Eating Habits.
Consuming such products, as red wine, coffee, black and red sorts of tea, soda and carrots as well as the other foods, beverages, vegetables and fruit, containing the deep coloring pigment, can change our tooth color. Also, those foods and drinks, that contain acid, can ruin your teeth enamel – for instance, oranges and apples might do this for you. The result is quite visible – yellow spots of exposed dentin and acquired brownish shade.
5. Harmful Habits.
As well as the excessive drinking, smoking harms your teeth. Nicotine leaves slight brown to dark auburn spots and stains and also it causes more serious intra-tooth discoloration.
6. Chemical Influence.
Tetracycline and fluorine can cause teeth staining. The first chemically gives your teeth unpleasant grayish color, while the fluorine gives you white stains. Fluorine can affect your teeth, if you, for instance, consume the tap water, where it can be found.
7. Grinding.
Teeth grinding, also known as teeth bruxing, causes microscopic cracks and the darkening of the biting edges. Grinding is usually caused by stresses and nervous conditions.
8. Trauma Effects.
Any kind of injury can provide you with the teeth trauma. The teeth
become cracked, the debris get into these cracks and later on produce
unattractive dirty look.
Different Teeth Whitening Options
Way One. In-Office Whitening
The average cost of in-office procedure is about one and the same everywhere and is usually no more than $650. Now, the in-office whitening is a major color change, performed in the short period of time. What causes this fast effect? It is a matter, called peroxide gel, very high-concentrated. It is applied carefully to the teeth by the cosmetic dentist after he protected your gums with the special rubber barrier. Then you need to wait 15 to 20 minutes; the most severe cases take no more than an hour. Sometimes, if the stains became duller, but still remained on the teeth surface, you will need to continue treatment at home, going through the special course.
At-Home Whitening
Medical kits for the home usage are designed by qualified specialists. They can be purchased in the local drugstore and generally cost $100 to $400 each. They contain lower-concentration peroxide gel, which is easy to use without supervision. It has to remain on teeth 1 hour to 8 hours (overnight effect). It is completely safe, though; the concentration is really low. The treating gel is applied with the help of special medical tray instruments, which are already put in the kit.
Way Three. Over-the-Counter Whitening Method
This is the cheapest method of teeth bleaching; the secret of it id buying a store-bought whitening kit, containing a bleaching gel with a concentration lower than that of the professionally take-home gels. It is applied with the help if trays, strips or applicators (similar to brushes). It is usually used to whiten the front teeth, not the whole smile, but if that’s what you need, you’ll need to pat just $20 to $100 to get the result.
The Extent of the Whitening Effect
Teeth whitening is a subjective procedure; the outcomes here depend on your own natural teeth color and on the level of damage.
Many people need only one procedure to become content with the result, yet some might not see the difference. Before actually trying the teeth whitening, consult with your dentist about the realistic outcome you’ll get, just to be prepared. Ask about the amount of time, needed to reach the result.
Shade Guides
Shade guides are really supportive for your cosmetic dentist. They help to find out the most natural color for your teeth.
Usually, the color of your teeth before and after the procedure is measured with these little helpers. They are small displays of wide ranges of teeth colors and shades; shade guides are also used to choose a proper veneer and crown color for you.
The most widespread shade guide is the Vitapan Classic Shade Guide. It contains 16 different shades, arranged from light to dark into several color groups. It provides a universal tooth-color collection.
Lightening can change your teeth by nine or more shades; bleaching
takes of two to seven shades.
Hydrogen Peroxide or Carbamide Peroxide?
Hydrogen peroxide is much stronger, than carbamide peroxide. When used in teeth bleaching, its concentrations varies from approximately 9% percent to 40%. It is a powerful treatment, and it works faster. Hydrogen peroxide is usually applied by a dentist.
For those, who prefer to whiten their teeth at home, there is an option of slower acting carbamide peroxide. It is about three times less strong than hydrogen peroxide. It takes longer time to whiten your teeth with its help, but the advantage is that you can do it on your own.
Teeth Whitening: Consider the Risks.
If you or your dentist – depends on the method you’ve chosen for teeth whitening – follow the directions, then teeth lightening treatment is considered to be safe. But however, we will speak about all the possible risks.
1. Sensitivity Increase.
The just-whitened teeth might be extra-sensitive to cold and hot and pressure impact. This occurs mostly in the case of in-clinic whitening, because the concentration of the gel is the highest of all there. Some people may even experience pain, which can be described as sudden and shooting.
Those, who have gum recession or damaged teeth, are more likely to experience these symptoms. People with red hair also fall into the category of the people, who are exposed to these feelings.
Teeth sensitivity usually ends in couple of days or so. The most severe cases last about the month, but they are rare. During this period of time, use the special toothpaste for sensitive teeth.
2. Gum Irritation.
Gum irritations are the problem of those, who bleach teeth at home, as your cosmetic dentist will apply a special gum protector to your teeth. This irritation lasts several days, gradually weakening and then vanishing.
3. Technicolor Smile.
If you used crowns and veneers before the whitening, they won’t get
bleached – this might cause a technicolor effect – monochrome rainbow
in your mouth.
Smile Maintenance
Here are some recommendations, which will help your new look last longer.
1. Follow-up whitening procedure.
It can be performed at home. You’ll probably want to do this maintaining procedure once a year to fix the result.
2. Changing your Eating habits.
At least a week after you whitened your teeth you’ll have to avoid dark-colored foods and beverages. Also, if you smoke, you’d better reduce the amount of the cigarettes, smoked – of course, if you want to maintain the freshly acquired color.
Remember This
Not to get disappointed, please, read this note and take it to the consideration.
1. You will never get the unnaturally white teeth.
2. Whitening results are appearing gradually; the final result will be seen in about two weeks. Consider this, if you are about to apply veneers or crowns – wait for half a month, or you are likely to get the wrong veneer shade.
3. If you had applied veneers before the procedure, be ready to the replacement, as they will not match your new teeth color.
4. The most difficult part to bleach is the one, which is directly under your gums. If your gums are recessed, then their yellowish root surfaces will be hard to get rid of.
5. Pregnant women or women in the period of lactation are advised to
postpone teeth lightening. The impact of swallowed bleach is not harmful
for the adult, but it is not proved, that it will do no harm to the
baby or fetus.
In-Office
Teeth Whitening
At-Home
Teeth Whitening
See more info:
- How to Choose Cosmetic Dentist