Teeth Whitening - Dental Procedures Reviewed

Teeth Whitening - Dental Procedures Reviewed

Tooth discoloration is something that troubles most of us. It can be caused by many factors including smoking, drinking coffee, certain medicines, tooth injury and even minerals found in ordinary drinking water. However, it needn't remain a problem for long as help is at hand in the form of a variety of whitening techniques, from the inexpensive to the more expensive procedures.

It should be pointed out that teeth whitening is a dental procedure that is purely cosmetic in nature. It is not necessary to have brilliant white teeth for you to remain in good health.

Broadly speaking teeth whitening embraces a range of cosmetic dental procedures the objective of which is to change tooth color to a whiter shade. The most basic procedures involve simply the efficient use of a whitening toothpaste, gels or strips, a variety of which can be found at pharmacies and stores in most towns. These can in fact be very effective for reducing lesser discolorations in many cases. Then there are also the various surgery procedures, including bleaching and whitening by laser.

The results of teeth whitening procedures will very dependant upon the precise nature of the discoloration, the teeth themselves and several other factors. All that can be guaranteed is that your teeth will be restored to a lighter shade than before. Some products will have only a slight effect whilst others, including the more expensive procedures, will have a far more pronounced impact on the color of your teeth.

Several products, such as whitening toothpastes, will only be limited in their effect, since they can only address superficial discoloration of the teeth, and will not whiten more deeply. However the bleaching process can whiten teeth more deeply, addressing discoloration caused by other health factors, even inherited discoloration. But whatever the whitening process, creating a uniform whiteness of a tooth which was not uniform on color at the outset, is much more difficult to achieve.

Basic teeth whitening procedures will simply remove stains. However in the dental surgery, the most frequently used whitening procedure is bleaching. This is carried out by fitting a tray over the teeth which contains a carbamide peroxide gel. As the gel chemically decomposes, oxygen is released into the teeth, which then has the effect of bleaching the discolorations. No change is made to the tooth structure and no effect will be seen in the color of crowns, fillings, bonding agents, etc. Bleaching tends to succeed well with yellowing teeth, but much less well with brown or graying teeth. Teeth can also become temporarily more sensitive after the bleaching procedure. A more sophistic procedure for addressing a variety of discoloration issues is laser whitening.

Tooth whitening does not last for ever and, if the source of the discoloration is not removed, then over time the initial discoloration will start to return. To limit this, it will be necessary to repeat the whitening procedure at intervals. Note that although some bleaching and laser procedures can be carried out in one visit to the dental surgery, it is sometimes necessary for the whitening process to be carried out over a period of time.

The cost of tooth whitening procedures varies considerably from product to product and from dentist to dentist; from a couple of dollars for a tube of whitening toothpaste to many hundreds of dollars for bleaching and laser whitening, with the whole gamut of prices in between. Whitening your teeth at home is obviously the cheaper option and a variety of kits are available for purchase which do just that. Alternatively, your dentist might have available slightly more powerful whitening agents that you can buy. However the best results will normally be obtained by having your dentist carry out the procedure using the latest technology. Obviously at a certain cost, but there will normally be a big difference in results. Unfortunately, since a purely cosmetic procedure, insurance is unlikely to cover tooth whitening.

When considering tooth whitening, don't be afraid to consult with your dentist as to the range of options available and the best option in your particular situation. Also ask about the likely outcome of the whitening procedures. Finally, it is wise to beware of false claims that might be made for various purchased whitening kits. Best results will almost always be obtained in your dentist's surgery.

For further information on caring for your teeth, oral hygiene and tooth whitening London, please contact a professional holistic dentist and cosmetic dentist london.

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By Dr Bianca Tavares