Dentistry Without Limits: Teeth Whitening
My patients ask the question many times, whether they can have white teeth like Hollywood stars. I usually answer them: Yes, of course, it is possible.
But this issue is actually a bit more complicated than that: movie stars have special replacements in many cases; crowns or shell ceramics, which be a pretty drastic way to whiten teeth… Fortunately, nowadays there are plenty of effective and gentler solutions in the field of teeth whitening, so the dentist can comply with this request by keeping your own teeth.
Teeth whitening is not just a simple cosmetic procedure for our specialists. Our patients are usually proud of their white, healthy-looking teeth, they are happy to take care of them and gladly show them to everyone with a bright smile.
All teeth whitening procedures are preceded by careful dental treatments, tartar removal and detailed examination. This minimizes the risk of teeth whitening and guarantees the best possible result.
If you are unsure, contact us to get an appointment by phone or using our contact form. Our colleagues will be happy to inform you about the teeth whitening procedures you can take following a detailed health check!
What causes the discolouration of teeth?
The discolouration of teeth can occur on the surface (external) and under the enamel (internal). The process may be caused by the colouring effect of the food and drinks consumed, as well as an inadequate oral hygiene, but also by the tartar on the outer surface of the teeth.
Several factors can be responsible for the development of discolouration in the deeper layers of the tooth:
natural and artificial colours in food and drinks (especially coffee, tea, cola, red wine),
smoking,
medicines taken by the mother during pregnancy,
certain medicines taken during the childhood (tetracyclines),
metabolic products of certain bacteria.
Are all teeth suitable for teeth whitening?
You can either choose a teeth whitening procedure at home or at the office depending on the extent of discolouration you are struggling with and on how rapidly you wish to achieve results. The essence of both methods is the same: we apply teeth whitening gel on your teeth, which removes the colourants deposited in the micro-cracks in the enamel.
Types of Teeth Whitening Procedures
Home whitening with a rail:
In case of teeth whitening at home a whitening gel is applied to a rail you should wear for several hours every day, typically at night. The rail, made based on an individual tooth impression, is made of a soft material, called vivil, it is approx. half a mm thick and it should be used for 3-8 nights depending on the desired effect.
In-office whitening with a plasma arc lamp::
In case of in-office whitening we apply a whitening gel on the surface of your teeth and then we use some kind of a plasma arc light in order to activate the active substance. You can achieve the desired effect within only 1-2 hours and you get an immediate and spectacular result. Its advantage compared to the procedure used at home is that it is can whiten even heavily discoloured teeth.
What are the steps of teeth whitening?
The condition of the teeth is critical, so a health check is definitely advisable before teeth whitening. We check, the treatment of which decayed of filled teeth is essential before teeth whitening. This is followed by a thorough cleaning of the teeth and tartar removal, so as to remove the discolouration deposited on the outer surface of the teeth and to ensure direct contact between the surface of the teeth and the teeth whitening gel. Finally the actual teeth whitening procedure can be starter either at home or in the office. The proper method is always selected individually on a case-by-case basis. The new colour of the teeth will be stabilized within a waiting time of about two or three weeks following the treatment.