Teeth whitening or bleaching is a safe and effective treatment for rejuvenating and enhancing your smile. Just about anyone can be a candidate for bleaching; however, people with dark yellow or yellow-brown teeth tend to whiten better than people with gray or bluish-gray teeth. Multi-coloured teeth, especially if stained due to tetracycline, do not whiten very well. These teeth are usually better treated by bonding, porcelain veneers such as Lumineers, or porcelain crowns. Existing bonding, fillings or crowns will not lighten and may need to be replaced.
Professionally-administered whitening treatments ensure that the teeth are whitened while the gums are not damaged by the chemicals used. The most common side-effect of bleaching is tooth sensitivity which is temporary, going away when bleaching is discontinued.
Types of Teeth Whitening:
Power Whitening. This procedure can usually be completed in under an hour, depending on how your teeth respond to the whitening gel. Gum protection is used before application of the whitening gel. Teeth can be lightened up to 12 shades in one hour using this procedure.
Home Whitening. This process involves wearing custom-made mouth trays filled with bleaching agent. The trays usually need to be worn for about a week to achieve the desired degree of whitening. This process can be done anywhere and at anytime. This treatment is more appropriate for the budget-conscious patient who desires whitening but is willing to wait for a few days to achieve good results.
Combination/Deep Whitening. This treatment involves a combination of Power Whitening and Home Whitening. The results are usually more profound than the other types of whitening treatments.
If you have any questions regarding this or any other treatment that we provide, please do not hesitate to ask us. You can reach Dr. Shivji at Atlantis Dental Roundhouse at 604-525-4391.