Teeth whitening

•  Teeth whitening:

Whitening is safe and does not damage natural teeth.

Dentists in many countries have used peroxide-based whitening products for more than 15 years, with the longest history of use in the United States. Considerable experience has been gained over this period. On this basis, we can say that whitening products do not damage tooth tissues, erode or wear away tooth surfaces, or weaken teeth. Neither method can change the colour of fillings or dental restorations.

How long the results last is strongly affected by diet, particularly staining foods and drinks such as coffee and tea, and by smoking. Avoid all coloured foods and drinks for 4–5 days after whitening. The effects are usually visible for one to one and a half years. Darkening is a gradual process that begins after whitening; on average, the teeth remain visibly or noticeably whiter for this length of time.

After this, a shade guide is needed to identify the remaining slight improvement compared with the original darker shade. Whitening can then be repeated. A shorter treatment and a lower concentration are usually sufficient to restore the initial whitening result, because the teeth have not yet returned to their original shade.

At-home teeth whitening:

At-home whitening requires a flexible tray made from soft plastic. A dental technician makes this from an impression I take. Following my instructions, you place the prescribed amount of whitening gel in the tray at home and fit it over your upper or lower teeth. The whitening material must not touch the gums. Whitening can be carried out during the day or at night. Treatment takes approximately 10–14 days to achieve the desired result. At-home whitening can produce a clearly visible improvement of several shades. Sensitivity may occur during treatment; its severity varies from person to person and also depends on the whitening product used.

In-practice teeth whitening:

In-practice whitening requires dental supervision because the whitening material is more concentrated. It can achieve results similar to at-home whitening, but much faster. One or sometimes two appointments are needed, each lasting one to one and a half hours. After preparing the mouth, I apply the whitening material to the teeth and repeat the process as needed to achieve the desired shade change. Sensitivity may also occur during this treatment and for a few days afterwards.

Whitening a root-treated tooth:

When an individual root-treated tooth has become discoloured, I use internal bleaching. I place a sodium perborate-based whitening material inside the tooth and seal it with a temporary filling. I replace the material weekly until the tooth matches the neighbouring teeth. This usually takes 3–4 appointments.