Teeth Whitening

Do your teeth lack the lustre and sparkle you desire? All of us want a sparkling and a gleaming smile, but are uncertain about ways to achieve it. Teeth Bleaching or Teeth whitening is a very popular esthetic dental procedure that removes the dark pigmentation from teeth and renders it whiter and a shade lighter than what it originally was

Why Do Teeth Change Color With Increasing Age?

Food and Drink

Coffee, tea and red wine are to blame the most. They impart intense color pigments called chromogens that attach to the white, outer part of the tooth (enamel) and make them yellowish/brownish.

Tobacco Use

Tar and nicotine in tobacco make the tooth yellowish in color.

Age

With time, the outer enamel layer gets thinner and more of the yellowish dentin shows through imparting a yellowish hue to the tooth.

Teeth whitening is a very popular esthetic dental procedure that removes the dark pigmentation from teeth and renders it whiter and many shades lighter than what it originally was. Teeth bleaching can whiten your teeth in a single office visit because the entire process of teeth whitening consumes hardly 45 minutes to one hour.

What Are The Professionally Used Whitening Methods?

In-Office Whitening

Also known as chairside bleaching, this technique is more efficient and gives dramatic results. The results vary from person to person. The gum and tooth-root surfaces are covered with a protective barrier to prevent any damage to them. A peroxide solution (35- 45% hydrogen peroxide gel) is applied to the tooth surface and left for a while. When it is removed, the tooth will appear lighter and whiter. The number of visits depends on the degree and type of discoloration.

Take-Home Whitening

This method requires you to be the chief operator and several weeks may be needed to achieve your desired level of whiteness. First, an impression of your teeth will be taken and then two plastic mouth trays will be custom-made for you; one for the top teeth and one for the bottom. You will fill the trays with whitening gel (carbamide peroxide) and then position the trays over your teeth. The trays are left in usually for 30 mins to an hour The doctor will brief you on how often and how long it is to be used.