Teeth Whitening
In recent years teeth whitening has become hugely popular yet most people have little knowledge of the different methods of teeth whitening as well as the considerations and limitations.
Teeth whitening is the easiest, most non-invasive way to improve the appearance of your smile. But as with everything new, your fresh smile will require ‘refreshing’ over time. This is why we see teeth whitening as a continuing program. General tooth bleaching packages consist of a pre-ordered stock kit that does not allow for ongoing maintenance. Our team will provide you with the necessary teeth whitening solutions to achieve your result, but also continue to reassess your maintenance requirements at every future visit. All teeth whitening clients will receive a complimentary ‘top-up’ solution at every 6-monthly check up to uphold their bright & healthy smile. <xxx Silvester, Chelsea, does this happen? Where did this come from?>
However, not all tooth discolouration’s respond to tooth whitening treatments. It is very important that a thorough assessment is completed by an oral health professional to determine if you are a suitable candidate for teething whitening treatment. This step is especially important for patients with fillings, root canal treatments, crowns and/or with extremely dark stains on any front teeth. Whenever someone enquires about teeth whitening, we take the time to explain how the whitening procedures work, to describe the various teeth whitening options that are available for your teeth and to answer any further questions.
Why Should I Whiten my Teeth?
Maybe you've always wanted a beautiful white smile. Or that your teeth have yellowed over time. Maybe you're not happy with the staining that results from drinking coffee, tea or cola. Whatever your reason for wanting whiter teeth, you're not alone.
Just like we all have different hair and skin colour, people also have different tooth colour. In most cases, the natural colour of teeth is within a range of light greyish-yellow shades. Teeth naturally darken over time and their appearance can be affected by the accumulation of surface stains acquired from tobacco products and certain foods or drinks. Some ‘stainers’ are obvious but there are some you may over look
Tea (this includes herbal & green tea)
Coffee
Red wine
Accumulation of plaque & tarter deposits
Beetroot
Soy sauce
Curries
Berries
Excessive dark cola
Mouthwash containing chlorhexidine
Ingesting too much fluoride
Trauma history to teeth that may cause brown, grey or black colour
Antibiotic treatment in childhood – especially tetracycline
There are many reasons for whitening your teeth, including:
The boost to your confidence and self-esteem that comes from a great smile
A younger appearance
A special event such as a wedding, job interview or class reunion
To make a positive first impression on others
To simply reverse years of everyday staining and yellowing
Before beginning any whitening procedure, be sure to consult with our experienced oral health professionals to ensure that tooth whitening treatment is suitable for you.
How does Teeth Whitening work?
Teeth whitening attempts to make teeth appear whiter, usually by bleaching the surface enamel. Our teeth are porous, like a really fine pumice stone, so over time surface stain particles get absorbed and accumulate within the internal porosities of our teeth. The whitening agent penetrates the porosities in the crystal structure of enamel and bleaches stain deposits in the dentin. Just like the way you would bleach your tea cups!
Most whitening products are peroxide-based gels. The majority of these utilise carbamide peroxide which reacts with water to form hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide has about a third of the strength of hydrogen peroxide. This means that a 15% solution of carbamide peroxide is roughly equivalent to a 5% solution of hydrogen peroxide.
Extrinsic stains—those on the outside of the tooth tissue caused by caffeine, tobacco and bacterial pigments – can be removed with professional cleaning by our hygienist without bleaching.
Is Teeth Whitening Expensive? xxx Chelsea is this correct?
We offer a teeth whitening loyalty program for $150 to our patients. This includes a comprehensive assessment of your mouth to assess the most suitable whitening treatment, a complete initial course of teeth whitening and ongoing maintenance gel at your 6-monthly check-ups.
Most home whitening kits are priced around $600 and in-chair or “laser” teeth whitening treatments can cost more than $1200. This is very costly treatment for something that can very easily and dramatically improve one’s smile!
We understand that many people are wanting to give their smile lift weather that be for a special occasion, to boost one’s confidence, to revert the aging process a few years or to just be proud of your smile in photos. But sometimes the expense cannot be justified. That’s why we provide our whitening program at cost price as a reward for our patient’s loyalty to us. That way no one has to feel guilty about treating themselves!
Will Teeth Whitening Damage my teeth?
Generally clinical studies support the safety and effectiveness of home-use bleaching gels when used appropriately. However there are some potential side effects from teeth whitening. Most are temporary but some can be permanent.
Some of the effects of teeth whitening can include:
Heightened tooth sensitivity during the course of whitening
Irritation or burns to gums can occur if not used correctly
Existing fillings, crowns and veneers will not change colour
Whitening results can be disappointing if your teeth have not been properly assessed for suitability
Direct exposure to the skin and eyes of the bleaching agent can cause irritation or burns
In general the side effects of teeth whitening are associated with inappropriate use of the materials.
That’s why we take the time to thoroughly assess and explain the teeth whitening procedure to our patients and ensure their full understanding before starting their treatment. Each patient will also receive a clear list of take-home instructions and are encouraged to call if they ever have any further questions. As we treat our friends, we make sure we do the right thing by them.