Teeth Whitening Options

Posted by Dentist on December 14, 2010 1 comment

There are a lot of options available in the market now, but still, the best is the treatment prescribed by your cosmetic dentist.

Chair side teeth whitening

This procedure is done in the clinic and would last from 45minutes to an hour depending on the material used. There are chair side whitening materials that are light stimulated and there are those that do not need light. Both are very effective, lightening may vary from 3-5 shades lighter or more depending on the tooth discoloration. Care is given to protect the gums from chemical irritation and a take home kit is given to control post operative sensitivity.

Take home teeth whitening

This procedure is done at home by the patient with full instructions from the cosmetic dentist, sometimes the procedure is demonstrated in the clinic for better understanding by the patient. The treatment may be done from 20 minutes a day to overnight for 7 to 14 days depending on the materials used. Treatment takes longer because a milder chemical is used to protect the gums and teeth.

Both whitening techniques are effective depending on the type of discoloration, materials used and compliance by the patient. It is best to refrain from taking any colored food and drinks for 10 days after the whitening procedure as maximum result may be seen after two weeks.

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Preparations Prior to Whitening

Posted by Dentist on December 6, 2010 0 comments

It is but ideal to have tooth dissensitation prior to bleaching. A good dissensitizing tooth paste used in place of your regular toothpaste for a week will do very well.

All leaking tooth fillings should be replaced and cervical and incisal abrations restored. Please take note though that the shade may vary after whitening so you need to consider anterior restoration retouch two weeks after.

Discoloured teeth due to trauma should be root canal treated first and bleached separately.

After all these are done, a good cleaning would be best, to remove superficial stains and leave the more stubborn ones for further whitening.

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Diagnosis

Posted by Cosmetic Dentist on November 21, 2010 0 comments

Diagnosis is important before any treatment is done. The dentist should be able to identify the cause of tooth discoloration and other oral conditions which need pre-operative procedures prior to bleaching.

The presence of marginal leaks in old restorations, cervical abrasions, incisal abrasions and other sensitive areas must be identified as it may cause hypersensitivity and pulp damage during and after bleaching.

Discoloured teeth due to trauma or root canal treatment should also be identified as there is a different treatment procedure for them.

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Extrinsic Stains and Intrinsic Stains

Posted by Dentist on November 20, 2010 0 comments

When we first had our teeth, baby teeth as fondly called, we notice how pearly white those tiny teeth are as compared to adult teeth. This is due first to wear and tear, the enamel, the first layer of the tooth tend to loose it’s natural lustre, becomes dull, thereby causing it to absorb more stains from tobacco smoking, coffee and tea drinking, and the intake of other food and drinks with artificial colourings.

This is what we call Extrinsic Stains, superficial stains which may be easily removed through regular oral phrophylaxis, by polishing the outer surface of the teeth, we bring back it’s natural color, or make it whiter through bleaching.

There are stains which are more deep seated, we call them Intrinsic Stains. The most common cause is the over absorption or intake of fluoride, fluorosis, especially in communities where there are high concentration of fluoride in their water system. The prescription of vitamins containing fluoride in the second trimester for pregnant mothers, where tooth buds are developing in the fetal stage can also result to fluorosis. A preschooler who uses fluoride toothpaste in large amounts may ingest it resulting to white spots or brownish stains, fluorosis in the developing teeth.

Certain antibiotic specifically tetracycline also causes intrinsic stains which at times can be really tough and bleaching procedures may not be enough.

Whatever may be the cause of tooth discoloration, with the availability of various materials and techniques, the cosmetic dentist is armed to give the best treatment option available with maximum result.

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Hello world!

Posted by Dentist on November 19, 2010 1 comment

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

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