Teeth Whitening
Teeth can develop stains or discoloration due to a variety of reasons. Yellow stains are the most common, and they tend to show the best results with teeth whitening procedures. Other types of stains include gray tones, white spots, or black stains.
A ‘dead’ tooth may become discolored permanently. Apart from these, tooth trauma and side effects of certain medicines can also cause discoloration, and these may not be removed by standard teeth whitening procedures.
Book an appointment
We suggest you book an appointment with us at the earliest. We need to have a look at your teeth to be able to decide which teeth whitening solution should work best for you. We categorically use products and procedures that are approved by the FDA and the ADA.
Although teeth whitening products work quite well in most cases, there are a few exceptions. In fact, certain conditions may take a turn for the worse if teeth whitening products are used. These include hypersensitivity and teeth with worn-out enamel. Patients with bruxism (gnashing or grinding of teeth) or Temporomandibular Joint Disorder may also have issues with teeth whitening procedures. If you suffer from any of these conditions, kindly visit our facility. Only after an inspection of your teeth conditions, we can tell if you are eligible for regular teeth whitening procedures.
If your teeth have porcelain veneers, caps, fillings, dental crowns, or dental bonding, you may need to replace these with a new set to be concurrent with the overall teeth whitening procedure.
Many patients ask us whether over-the-counter teeth whitening products work well. We, in line with the ADA, recommend that you should always consult a dentist first. Following a checkup of your teeth, we should be able to tell whether you are the right candidate for clinical whitening or should you try over-the-counter products.
Teeth whitening process
We can undertake a professional whitening procedure within an hour at our chamber. The procedure consists of the application of a gel on the teeth. This gel consists of 25% to 40% hydrogen peroxide compared to store-bought products, which only consist of 7% hydrogen peroxide. Other ingredients include glycerin, carbopol, flavorings, and sodium hydroxide. Some products consist of carbamide peroxide which breaks down into hydrogen peroxide on application.
After this gel is applied, a special heating lamp is directed at the teeth. This heating is typically done for three 20 minute sessions. We may also use a laser for treatment, which is used to activate the whitening process. Before applying the gel, we would also place a protective barrier in your mouth to prevent the gel from getting on your lips, gums, and tongue. Depending on the results, we might suggest whitening trays for follow-up treatment at home.
These trays are molded for your teeth so that you get optimal results. These trays prevent saliva from diluting the bleach and also reduce irritation of the gums on exposure to the bleach. We may also suggest whitening strips to place on your teeth. When you buy these strips, be careful to avoid the ones containing chlorine dioxide as they can affect the enamel of the teeth.