Teeth Whitening Treatment

20 May Teeth Whitening Treatment

The Branch of cosmetic dentistry is in high demand in today’s time. Among all cosmetic procedures, teeth whitening has been ranked the highest of them all.

Everybody wants a white and bright smile. With such high demands in these procedures, provisions are made to provide fast solutions as well. Patients these days have time constrictions and request procedures that do not take much time.

Keeping these points in mind dentists today provide many teeth whitening procedures like in-office whitening, Composite veneers, Porcelain veneers, and smile makeovers with E-max and zirconia crowns.

Options available are of various types, depending on the patient’s needs.

Quick procedures like in-office bleaching and at-home bleaching are quick and effective. Patients today are becoming more conscious and particular about the way they look and want to maintain a healthy lifestyle at the same time. Dental treatments are given more priority than before.

Patients have become more aware and are well-read because of all the information provided on the internet however, this can also be a problem as most often the information perceived by the patient is not completely correct.

At such times, patient counselling and education are very important. All information needs to be put across to the patient irrespective of the treatment that is being provided.

It’s most often said that one of the first things you notice in a person is their smile.

Patient

What makes the teeth turn yellow or causes them to discolour?

1. Coloured drinks such as tea, black coffee, wine, soft drinks, and drinks with artificial flavours are most often the ones that cause discolouration of the teeth.
2. Indian food is mostly made with turmeric which has one of the highest staining properties. Chinese food items have sauces like Schwan which have a lot of redness on it and they tend to stain the teeth as well.
3. Habits like smoking and tobacco staining cause stains and result in discolouration of teeth.
4. If the patient has a tendency not to maintain good oral hygiene and does not brush regularly, then these factors can result in discolouration of teeth.
5. Dentin which is one of the layers in the teeth is generally more yellowish than the enamel which is the outer layer. When teeth undergo wear and tear, the enamel layer undergoes disintegration and this results in exposure of the dentin layer which gives the teeth a more yellowish appearance.
6. Patients on medications such as tetracycline and doxycycline which are antibiotics have tendencies to cause intrinsic stains. They tend to turn the teeth greyish which does not look very pleasing to the eye.
7. Consumption or usage of water with an excess amount of fluoride can cause staining of teeth.

What are the different ways to prevent discolouration of teeth?

1. A routine check-up and professional cleaning also called Scaling in dental terms, is necessary. Professional cleaning helps remove some of the intrinsic stains and bacteria that are embedded deep within.
2. Brushing twice daily helps maintain good oral hygiene.
3. Patients that are smokers can try reducing the number of cigarettes and eventually quit smoking.
4. Reduce the intake of aerated drinks and black coffee.
5. Avoid the consumption of coloured food.

What are the different ways to whiten teeth?

There are two ways to go about it – At Home and At-Clinic

               At Home

1. Baking Soda: Using this product carefully can help remove some stains to some extent. Being a very abrasive substance, the dentist most often advises the patient to avoid using it excessively as it can wear off the enamel causing sensitivity to the patient.
2. Whitening toothpaste: nowadays there are many whitening toothpaste that have been launched in the market. Using one of these products can help whiten teeth to some extent however it would not show the exceptional results that one might expect which are provided by professional whitening procedures that are carried out in a dental clinic.
3. Whitening Strips: Having whiter and brighter teeth today has become a trend. To keep up with the trend, companies have come up with whitening strips that can be used at home. These strips provide average results for a short period. These are carried out without the supervision of a professional so in case the procedure is not done carefully, the patient may end up burning the gums or causing some issues to the enamel of the teeth.

              At Clinic:

1. In-Office Bleaching Technique: Here the patient gets the whitening procedure done by the dentist himself. All precautions are taken care of and the procedure last for an hour. The patient is given a pain-killer to avoid any discomfort while the procedure is going on. The teeth are isolated well so that there is no harm to the gums and surrounding soft tissue.

Once the isolation protocol is carried out the dentist applies the bleaching agent and the chairside bleaching lamp is used which helps to accelerate the bleaching process. Finally, the initial and final shades are compared and most often the patient is satisfied with the result. The Bleaching result last for 6-8 months however it is also subjective from patient to patient.

2. Porcelain Veneers: Veneers are wafer-thin-like shells that are made of porcelain and cover the frontal area of the teeth. They effectively cover all flaws like discolouration, worn-out areas and tooth chips. Veneers are considered to be one of the best and long-lasting treatment plans for teeth whitening. They are also natural looking and reduce future staining to a large extent.

When it comes to the best options for whitening visit the dentist near you and get professional advice to maintain a bright and white smile.

When it comes to the best options for whitening visit the dentist near you and get professional advice in order to maintain a bright and white smile.